Telford’s unbeaten British champion Liam Davies (12-0-0, 5 KOs) meets Spanish-based Romanian Ionut Baluta (15-3-0, 3 KOs) for vacant EBU European title in a 12-round super bantamweight fight.
Britain's Anthony Yarde (22-2-0, 21 KOs) decided not to sit around waiting for the postponed championship fight against the injured Artur Beterbiev (18-0, 18 KOs), and returns to the ring facing against 30-year-old Bulgarian Stephanie Koikov (14-1-0, 12 KOs) in the 10-round light heavyweight clash in the co-main event of the evening.
Telford native Davies, 26, has enjoyed a remarkable run since becoming a fighter, with four straight wins resulting in a WBC International Silver belt and, last time out in June, becoming British champion by defeating the title holder Marc Leach via a unanimous decision to take his professional record to 12-0 (5 KOs).
Romanian Baluta, 28, defeated Brad Foster to become WBC International champion in May. Baluta has also a few victories over Irish stars TJ Doheny and David Oliver Joyce on his record and only lost to Michael Conlan.
In an interview, Baluta said that he believes Davies will regret signing up to fight him.
“All I can say about Liam Davies is that he will feel sorry for accepting this fight,” said the former WBO European champion. “I never underestimate my opponent, clearly, but let’s be honest, I will be the toughest opponent Liam Davies has ever had. He has never fought anyone tougher than me. It motivates me even more that I will be fighting in his hometown. My plan is to finish this fight from the first round with a KO and this is what I have been working on, winning by knockout. I am prepared to fight for 12 rounds, but my plan is to knock him out.”
Fight card:
▪️Liam Davies vs. Ionut Baluta, 12 rounds, junior featherweights, for vacant European title ▪️Anthony Yarde vs. Stefani Koykov, 10 rounds, light heavyweight ▪️Eithan James vs. Connor Parker, 10 rounds, junior welterweight ▪️Jamie Stewart vs. Owen Cooper, 10 rounds, welterweight ▪️Ezra Taylor vs. TBA, 6 rounds, light heavyweight ▪️Macaulay Owen vs. Eduardo Valverde, 6 rounds, junior welterweight ▪️Willo Hayden vs. Marian Istrate, 6 rounds, lightweight ▪️Brad Strand vs. Darwin Martinez, 6 rounds, super bantamweight ▪️George Davey vs. Paul Cummings, 6 rounds, junior middleweight ▪️Raheem Muhammad vs. Steven Maguire, 4 rounds, bantamweight
