Abubaker in British title eliminator battle
Amir Abubaker…big fight in Bournemouth. Picture: Inga Zulyte
THE truly mouthwatering collision between unbeaten Amir Abubaker and Carl Fail has been given the status it deserves.
Originally, it was announced the impending July 26 explosion in Bournemouth would be for the Coventry fighter’s Midlands light-middleweight belt.
It was worth more than that, I wrote.
The British Board of Control evidently agrees. They’ve also given the Bournemouth International Centre bust-up British title eliminator status.
It’s deserved. This is an impeding earthquake between two performers who ooze excitement.
Amir, a barber by trade, has cut nine opponents down to size, six of them inside distance.
Northampton southpaw Fail is the former amateur golden boy – ABA champ, EU championships silver medallist – who has peeled off 10 straight wins, three by stoppage.
As they say in the trade, someone’s “0” has got to go. This could well be fight of the night on a glittering Queensberry show, screened on DAZN.
“Amir has put in the work and is ready to keep the momentum going,” said manager Anthony Manning.
“He has said he’s British title level, he is putting the message out there. He has put the ripples out there and the big waves are coming back.”
Abubaker, aged 25, bristles with menace inside the ring, but is an affable, polite and thoroughly likeable individual outside the ropes.
A Jekyll and Hyde character. Fail, 28, is about to meet Mr Hyde.
The Iraq born KO artist won the Midlands belt by blitzing Callum Hill, a Biddulph, Staffordshire, boxer who hadn’t tasted defeat before succumbing to Amir’s hammer blows in five.
Last month, Abubaker made the first defence of his title against another unbeaten lad, Jack Mantell. Jack was despatched in four.
“Amir was in the gym on the Monday after his last fight,” said Manning “and he’s now had two southpaw camps back to back.
“In sparring you can see he’s coming up to a different level, you can see a different version of him.
“He knows he will be the underdog, he knows Carl is no pushover, but he’s ready to shine.”
On social media, Abubaker simply posted: “I have no fear whatsoever of anybody or anything.”
A message on Fail’s facebook site states: “Carl Fail finally gets a title fight locked in. Respect to opponent for accepting the fight.
“Carl hasn’t lost in the UK since he was 16 and that isn’t changing anytime soon!”
It’s an exciting time for Manning’s Birmingham gym.
Mykey-Lee Broughton…English title chance. Picture: Inga Zulyte
Second City prospect Mykey-Lee Broughton will bid for the English super-lightweight title at York Hall, Bethnal Green, on November 30.
He faces champ Yaser Al-Ghena, born in Syria, based in London.
For Mykey-Lee, it’s the first taste of championship action in the 10st division. As a lightweight, he suffered only one defeat in 14 – and that came in a 2023 epic with Scott Melvin for the Midlands belt.
Al-Ghena has won all 13 pro bouts, two early. Broughton, aged 24, will take a lot of positives from the champ’s performance against James Scarrott for the vacant title. The Worcester boxer gave Al-Ghena all the trouble he could handle before losing a split decision.
Manning said: “Mykey knows it’s a fight he has to win if he wants to do the things he’s put down in his diary.”