If you didn’t attend the grand opening of the Canon Medical Arena in Sheffield, well, you missed out big time. Izzy Asif, the man at the helm of GBM Sports, once again proved he knows how to throw a boxing party. He had previously promised that his sixth Championship Boxing event would top them all – and darn it, he wasn’t kidding!
The event was like a who’s who of boxing. We had World Champions Ebanie Bridges and Sunny Edwards casually chilling ringside. The former two-weight World Champion Billy Joe Saunders and Sheffield’s own Johnny Nelson were also in the mix, and let’s not forget the voice of boxing, MC David Diamante.
Now, there was a small problem when the Reece Mould-Martin McDonagh title fight was canceled. But hey, who needs that when the arena was overflowing with boxing fans, all thirsty for some high-quality boxing?
Highlight of the night? Well, Commonwealth Super-Flyweight Champion Emma Dolan defended her title in a breathtaking fight against the relentless challenger from Worksop, Nicola Hopewell. Emma’s hand was raised, and the judges were all nodding in agreement.
As for the new kids on the block? GBM Sports’ Faraqat ‘Frak’ Ali, Nohman Hussain, Naphtali Nembhard, and Conisbrough Joe Hayden showed everyone they’re the future stars to watch. Seriously, these guys have more spark than my old college car.
Keep an eye on Ali, who now boasts an 8-0 record, especially if you’re into title fights. Hayden? Smooth as ever, adding another victory under his belt. Hussain? Well, the man had the audience making more noise than my grandma at a bingo game, stopping Caine Singh in the first round. And Nembhard, swapping the basketball court for the boxing ring, showed he’s got the moves, clinching a victory against the tough Russian, Vasif Mamedov.
Yorkshire’s boxing scene? Hotter than ever, and it’s all thanks to GBM Sports. And guess who’s joining the ranks? Six-time national champ MyKyle Ahmed, who’s got both Asif and Saunders backing him. The kid’s gonna be huge!
Of course, Sheffield’s favorites – Liam Cameron, Red Johnson, and Sam O’maison – didn’t disappoint. Cameron, making an awe-inspiring return after a 5-year hiatus, outpointed Robbie Connor. Johnson? Showed Ben Thomas who’s boss. And O’maison, he’s back in the groove with a victory over Jake Smith.
Rounding off the night, Declan Cairns showed Rustem Fatkhullin what Sheffield boxing is all about.
A jubilant Asif shared, “This is just the beginning for GBM Sports. Despite the problem with Reece Mould and Martin McDonagh, Emma and Nicola absolutely stole the show. Kudos to our undercard fighters for their fantastic performances, especially Naphtali on his debut. And remember, with MyKyle Ahmed joining us, trust me when I say the best is still on the horizon. As the saying goes, you ain’t seen nothing yet!”