GBM Sports is kicking off 2024 with a bang, unleashing a mega fight card in Sheffield on Friday, 9th February at the Canon Medical Arena. This sizzling event features the undefeated middleweight hotshot Shakiel Thompson; the man with a movie-worthy life story, European Super-Bantamweight Champion Thomas Essomba, and a fiery English Super Bantamweight Title fight between Stevi Levy and Ebonie Jones. And guess what? It’s all LIVE and FREE on TalkSPORT’s YouTube Boxing Channel. Talk about a steal!
Izzy Asif, the brains behind GBM Sports, is riding the high from his blockbuster ‘Clash on the Court’ event last October that kicked off the Canon Medical Arena, now the proud home of the Sheffield Sharks and Hatters basketball teams. Fans and media can’t stop singing his praises.
GBM Sports, not one to sit on its laurels, snagged a juicy multi-fight broadcast deal with talkSPORT, the world’s largest sports radio station, to stream its events on the official YouTube Boxing Channel.
Sheffield’s undefeated middleweight Thompson (10-0-0, 6 KO’s) is strapping up for a tough bout against former European Kick Boxing champ Gino Kanters, thanks to Sky Sports and promoter BOXXER.
Thompson, the Sheffield sensation, boasts an unblemished ten-fight record, with over half his wins coming via knockout. He’s all set to unleash his might and show he’s ready to vie for titles this year.
Cameroonian boxer turned Sheffield local, Essomba (12-8-1, 4 KO’s), made global headlines when he and his teammates bolted from the athletes’ village at London 2012 and defected. Fast forward over a decade, and after an incredible saga fit for Hollywood, Essomba nabbed the European Champion title in May, dethroning Italian Alessio Lorusso in Monza.
Now a proud Sheffield citizen since 2020, Essomba is gearing up to defend his title on his home turf against the formidable Frenchman Konki (14-1-0, 1 KO).
Essomba beams, “I’m over the moon to defend my EBU title at home and can’t wait to dazzle my Sheffield crowd. Big thanks to my brother Sunny Edwards and Chris from RCP Electric for making this happen, and to GBM Sports and Izzy Asif for hosting the show. After all the drama with the French team, I’m ready to give Konki a night he won’t forget.”
Levy (9-2-0), Norfolk’s first female pro boxer, and Portsmouth’s Jones (4-0-1), an ex-Royal Engineers soldier, are set for a nail-biting 50/50 battle for the Vacant English Super-Bantamweight title.
A fleet of Sheffield’s finest from the GBM Sports stable are all set to strut their stuff as they carve their paths in 2024.
Super-featherweight Faraqat ‘Frak’ Ali (8-0-0), fresh off a win against Mexican Christian Lopes Flores, is eyeing his first career title.
Nohman Hussein (4-0-0, 3 KO’s), a dynamite puncher and NHS Cardiac Arrest Practitioner, continues to make hearts race in the ring.
Former Sheffield Sharks basketball star Neptahali Nembhard (1-0-0) made a smashing boxing debut, trouncing Vasif Mamedov.
Conisbrough Welterweight Joe Hayden (11-0-0) aims to keep his unbeaten streak as he inches closer to his first title fight.
The card also features Sheffield cruiserweight Sheldon McDonald (7-1-0, 2 KO’s), mentored by local legend Johnny Nelson, who’s gunning for his fourth consecutive win as he eyes titles.
Liam Cameron (21-5-0, 8 KO’s), with a life story ripe for the big screen, marks his return to the ring, determined to claw his way back to title contention.
Super-middleweight Red Johnson (4-0-0) is back to entertain fans with his unique in-ring and out-of-ring flair.
Another remarkable tale belongs to super-welterweight Owen Durnan (1-0-0), who beat cancer to make a triumphant pro debut last month, and is now ready for round two.
And Bree Wright (Burbeary) (4-0-0, 1 KO), whose life took a dramatic turn inspired by Tyson Fury, is now an unbeaten pro.