Bethell out to put on show in arena debut

Brandon Bethell…added to weekend’s MVP bill. Pic: Manjit Narotra/BCB

GOOD to see phenomenal ticket-seller Brandon Bethell get his first taste of big-time arena boxing.

The former Midlands super-featherweight champ has been included on the undercard of MVP Promotions’ UK v USA tournament at Birmingham’s BP Pulse Live arena next Saturday, August 29. The star-studded bill will be shown on Sky Sports.

The late move makes sense. Bethell is a Wolverhampton boxer with a huge old gold and black following. He’ll face tough Mexican Jorge Luis Huerta Balleza who may have won only four of 24, but has mixed in good class and never been stopped.

The scheduled six rounder is a sensible learning bout for Bethell, guided by BCB, who has lost only one of eight. The bonus is Brando, will be taking his bow on a major televised show – and, judging by the scale of his fanbase at small hall level, may get the biggest cheer of the night. His banner waving fans certainly make some noise.

“They’re the same people who were with me in the amateurs,” 24-year-old Brandon told me at MVP’s press conference. “I had a big following back then, the same people have always been behind me.

“Getting the call for this is amazing – now I just want to get out there and put on a show. They can expect entertainment.”

Bethell’s ring entrances are a show in themselves, with Oasis music blaring and supporters celebrating successes as if a world title had just been won. The only boxer to rain on their parade is quality journeyman Jahfieus Faure who outpointed Bethell in 2024.

They near raised the roof of Aldersley Stadium last June when Brandon took the Midlands belt in his home city by outpointing Nico Ogbeide.

“I want to go to the very top,” he said at the Coleshill media gathering, “I want to keep learning and improving.

“I learned a lot from my loss, I learn from all my fights, which is what boxing’s all about. At the beginning I said I wanted a Midlands title and to be on TV in under 10 fights – I’ve already done the Midlands title.

“Now I’ve got the TV. I want to thank BCB and Errol (BCB boss Errol Johnson) for getting me this opportunity.”

Expect a Wolves party in Birmingham next weekend.