Last King Of Scotland: Fight Night Programme

E-Programme Link: https://queensberry.co.uk/collins-vs-Lorente-Programme

PROMOTER’S MESSAGE

GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY and welcome to the fantastic Braehead Arena, here in Glasgow, for a night of boxing where we hope to crown a new King.

Josh Taylor announcing his retirement a couple of months back leaves a gaping hole right at the pinnacle of Scottish boxing. Josh, being an undisputed ruler, is a tough act to follow, but I believe that we saw his successor emerge when we were north of the border in May.

In the chief support to Josh fighting Ekow Essuman, we planted a tasty 50-50 all-Scottish collision between Nathaniel Collins and Lee McGregor. Glasgow vs Edinburgh, it had all the ingredients and it didn’t disappoint.

However, the even-money bit soon went out of the window because Nathaniel showed himself to be approaching elite level with his fourth round finish. Little did he know then that there would become a vacancy at the top of Scottish boxing.

Without knowing, he put his credentials out there for all to see - and then some.

All this stuff about being the new Kind might sound like a load of window dressing and not really important, but it is. Each fighting destination needs a focal point, someone to drive it forward, generate major interest and deliver opportunity for younger fighters coming through.

We’ve got a fantastic clutch of young Scottish fighters who we are very proud of, but big events need a headline attraction and now it is Nathaniel’s chance to become the bill topper.

I fully believe he has got what it takes and I have liked what I have seen from Nathaniel from the moment he teamed up with us and marked the occasion with a first round stoppage a couple of years or so back.

Nice guy that he is, Nathaniel has got that bit of spite about him that sets him apart. He is also a ruthless finisher, which is a priceless asset in this business.

We love coming to Scotland and, with Nathaniel leading the charge, there will be plenty of return visits so we really build a big future for the sport up here.

To this end, we have been putting together a richly talented continent of young fighters to help guarantee that the huge nights keep on coming.

I am personally invested in two of these young fighters because they are the sons of champions I previously promoted. This means the world to me.

Drew Limond and Alex Arthur Jr are the two young men I am talking about, but we also have Reece Lynch and Marcus Sutherland and all four will be on punching parade here tonight.

In support of the main event we have three cracking championship fights that I am certain will deliver the goods. We’ve got a British lightweight title clash between Regan Glackin and the English champion Louie O’Doherty. Don’t miss this one.

We also have a belter at light heavyweight, with Willy Hutchinson taking on Mark Jeffers as he seeks to force his way back into the world elite mix. Also keep an eye out for the Celtic middleweight title clash between the formidable Aston Brown and his challenger Paul Kean.

Getting back to elite young talents, from Cumbria, just south of the border, John Joe Carrigan will make his professional debut. In 2024 alone, Carrigan won the Under-19 World Championships, became European Youth champion and won the Three Nations title, along with the Haringey Box Cup. 

Plus, Glasgow will also get to see the second pro fight of Yandiel Lozano-Oquendo, the 18-year-old star from Puerto Rico, who signed up with us at Queensberry earlier this year. The lightweight, who won the silver medal at the 2024 IBA World Youth Championships, concluded his amateur journey with a final record of 119 wins against only nine defeats.

Before I close, I would like to extend my thanks, as always, to our wonderful sponsors Riyadh Season, 32Red, Global Next Trade, Unibet and That Prize Guy for their magnificent support, along with the Global Home of Boxing, DAZN. Most of all, my appreciation goes to you, the fans, for coming out in support of the boxers and making the watching of live boxing such a special experience.

I hope you enjoy your evening.

Best wishes

Frank Warren