Bowen and Coleman just has to be a war

Poster for the Bowen-Coleman barnstormer on Saturday night

AFTER the sunshine of recent days, a storm is brewing.

And it will hit with hurricane force at Sheffield’s Utilita Arena on Saturday. Quite simply, the 10 rounder between Burntwood’s Troy Coleman and Aaron Bowen, from Coventry, has to be a barnstormer.

In fact, Matchroom’s televised show may be the setting for a classic.

Bowen, aged 27, is the former amateur star looking to reassert himself after the first loss of a rampaging career. In November, he dropped a split decision to Tom Cowling for the Midlands middleweight title.

That was a blood-spattered war. All Bowen’s fights are wars – the lad loves a tear-up, he can’t help himself.

Coleman, 31, has faced the bigger names in a globe-trotting, rollercoaster 20 bout career. He moved to Thailand, collected Asian titles, returned home and became Midlands champ by outpointing Cowling.

The gritty pro is having his first outing on UK soil since being stopped by Jimmy Sains – one of the many top names that stud Coleman’s record. He’s faced thunderous punching Aussie Isaac Hardman Down Under, he faced former Cuban amateur sensation Yan Marcos in Dubai. He ain’t had it easy.

Coleman will be looking to score a double over Coventry red-hot prospects. Last April he was given little chance against unbeaten Bradley Goldsmith, yet prevailed in the seventh round of an epic.

“It’s been a long camp with fights falling through etc,” Coleman said. “I’m ready, it’s a good feeling. ‘Learning on the job’ is a well used saying, but I believe I’ve been doing that. I’m trying to better myself each time, each time I’m straight back in the gym trying to put on the best show.”

The pair, both boxing under the BCB banner, have sparred and Coleman admitted he always believed they were destined to face each other. “I think we were on the running track and I said to Aaron, ‘you’re my ticket to Saudi’. I always had it in my mind we’d meet.”

There is no bad blood between the pair. Both are supremely confident of victory.

“I do think experience is going to play a part,” Coleman said. “I still have so much hunger and so much to show. I still believe I haven’t shown it all yet and that’s frustrating. I feel really confident and think it’s going to be a great fight.”

Style make fights and that’s why this one has to explode.