OLYMPIC Champion Galal Yafai has boxed in London (twice), New York and The United Arab Emirates since turning over and he’s again house this weekend. Eddie Hearn takes the DAZN cameras to the Utilita Enviornment in Birmingham the place Yafai tops the invoice towards Tommy Frank, the previous British flyweight and Commonwealth super-flyweight champion from Sheffield.
Yafai reckons this might be his first outing in his house metropolis for round a decade.
The 30-year-old southpaw is a product of Birmingham Metropolis ABC and head coach Frank O’Sullivan MBE. O’Sullivan, who additionally skilled large brothers Kal and Gamal, needed to persuade Yafai to stay with boxing round a decade in the past as he struggled to seek out the time for coaching round his job.
O’Sullivan informed Yafai he may grow to be an Olympian. He certified for the 2016 Olympics by successful his twenty sixth bout and after lacking out on a medal in Rio, Yafai took flyweight gold in Tokyo.
Yafai, 4-0 (3), now appears to be like to be settling into the professionals. The Yafai we noticed beat Mexican veteran Moises Calleros in April was totally different to the Yafai of his first three fights.
On his professional debut, in February 2022, he ate just a few counters from non-punching Mexican Carlos Bautista earlier than getting the stoppage after which unloaded on Miguel Cartagena for six minutes till the Philadelphian retired.
There seems to have been a rethink after Yafai was taken to a 10-round cut up by Gohan Rodriguez Garcia final November. To most ringsiders, he gained clearly over 10, however there wasn’t a lot in it on the scorecards. Yafai gained a cut up after two judges had him up by one and two rounds and the opposite had him shedding by one.
The playing cards had been proof Yafai had taken too many and final day trip, in April, he slowed down, picked his photographs and thought reasonably extra about what was coming again at him. He saved his palms up and edged out and in along with his ft, reasonably than all the time staying in punching vary.
Calleros was sport, however Yafai unravelled him in 4.
Frank, 15-3-1 (3), is coming off a loss, Swansea’s Jay Harris taking away the British title with a tenth spherical stoppage in Might. Frank seems to have discovered his stage.
There had been speak of him preventing Sunny Edwards – now on Yafai’s radar – till he twice misplaced to Rosendo Guarneros, a Mexican schooled by Edwards.
Craig Derbyshire, the 8-28-3 Yorkshireman who he had beforehand crushed, held him to a attract a British title defence and Frank goes into Saturday with two wins and a draw from his final six.
He’s identified to be tight at 112lbs and has struggled with opponents who combat at a excessive tempo. We may even see a return to the whirlwind Yafai, however nevertheless he approaches the job, count on Yafai to win by stoppage within the second half.
Solomon Dacres, 6-0 (2), is one other coming house – he’s from Bearwood – and he goes into his 10-rounder towards South African lefty Chris Thompson, 12-4-1 (7), because the English heavyweight champion.
Dacres, who’s been troubled by a shoulder damage since turning over after being a part of the Nice Britain newbie squad, gained the vacant belt by stopping Robert Ismay in March in two, selecting his photographs properly after shaking up the Geordie. Thompson, who’s misplaced his final two, could final the total 10.
The welterweight 10-rounder between Alnwick southpaw Cyrus Pattinson, 6-0 (4), and Conah Walker, 11-2-1 (3), needs to be enjoyable.
Walker is from Wolverhampton and is bound to have loads of assist, however he’s coming off a loss down at 140lbs and Pattinson posted a profession greatest win final day trip, stopping former British and Commonwealth champion Chris Jenkins within the ninth of a fight-of-the-year contender.
That was solely Pattinson’s sixth combat and proved he has the mettle for the professionals after serving his newbie apprenticeship with Birtley Boys and Nice Britain. Walker is an sincere professional who’s gained Midlands honours at 147lbs and pushed Samuel Antwi onerous over 10 for the St George’s belt.
He obtained all the way down to 140lbs for his final combat and was outpointed over eight by Manchester’s cellular Kane Gardner. Pattinson’s come forward-style will go well with him extra, however Cyrus appears to be like too robust and might win on factors.
One other scheduled 10-rounder sees Oxford’s Jordan Flynn, 9-0 (1) tackle native stalwart, the 19-10-1 (1) Kane Baker at super-featherweight. The pair fought earlier than, with Flynn taking an in depth determination after eight in April. Flynn can present what he realized and win extra comfortably on factors.
THE VERDICT – Yafai and Frank seem like they’re getting into reverse instructions.
