Make Or Break - Fight Night Programme

Fight Night Programme Link: https://tinyurl.com/Rafferty-vs-Chamberlain PROMOTER’S MESSAGE Good evening to everybody and welcome to the Altrincham Ice Dome, a new venue for us here at Queensberry and one which provides us with an ideal showcase for our local lads, Jack Rafferty and Zak Miller. It is always great to break new ground and this place will be bouncing tonight when these two fine talents take to the ring. They are both more than deserving of their headline status here because both have built themselves up without the benefit of a televised platform and significant promotional backing. Now they are getting both. For the blossoming of Jack and Zak into champions, much credit must go to their trainer Steve Maylett, who we worked with extensively across the Terry Flanagan days and he has certainly got the magic touch when it comes to developing top fighters from his Finest Gym base. I am delighted to be back working in conjunction with Steve. He is not the sort of trainer who casts his net around all the celebrated amateur stars or one who plucks talent from other gyms. He identifies potential and works bloody hard at bringing the best out of the individuals. I am so pleased to see him getting his rewards again following his Turbo Time. In Jack and Zak there remains no end of potential and so many big fights ahead if they continue to get it right on the night. Tonight, Jack - the British and Commonwealth champion - defends his belts in what should be a thrilling encounter against Mark Chamberlain. Mark has had his moments in the sun, quite literally. He seized the opportunity to make a name for himself on Riyadh Season events and became something of a star at lightweight by winning the WBA Intercontinental and WBC Silver titles in excellent wins over Gavin Gwynn and Joshua Wahab over in Saudi Arabia. Unfortunately, with a world title fight all booked up, he came unstuck with a poor performance against Josh Padley at Wembley Stadium and was outpointed on the cards. It was a major disappointment for all concerned, but Mark took stock and decided to return to the ring at super lightweight and, after an eight-round runout in April, he is returning to title level by taking on Jack here tonight. This is a fascinating collision between a big puncher in Mark, who used to call himself ‘Da Bomb’ and now, I think, uses the stage name of ’Thunder’, up against the ‘Demolition Man’. What is not to like about this fight? Zak, who won the British and Commonwealth featherweight titles last time out against Masood Abdulah, defends his Commonwealth belt tonight against a tough and dangerous opponent in Leon Woodstock. We know Leon well because he started out with us many years ago and was tipped to have a big future in the sport. He lost his way a bit when he reached title level against the likes of Archie Sharp, Zelfa Barrett and Anthony Cacace, but he is now a more mature fighter who has rebuilt and is fully deserving of another shot. Zak is the sort of young man you really wish to succeed. At the end of 2023 he ran Nathaniel Collins very close in a first shot at the British title and took confidence from it, rather than wallowing in defeat. He cracked on, won the English title and then seized his chance in February to grab the British and Commonwealth at the second attempt. If he gets the job done tonight, there are so many possibilities for him at featherweight, when you consider the current standing of Nathaniel and, of course, our world champion Nick Ball. Also high up the card tonight is one of the most exciting young fighters in Britain in Jack Turner, the Liverpool super flyweight with a heavyweight punch. Just 11 fights in and only 23, Jack really put his marker down in March with a second round drubbing of the experienced former European champion Ryan Farrag. Tonight he takes on someone with the same unbeaten record as himself in Nicolas Agustin Murguruza from Argentina, the WBC Latino champion who is not short of a stoppage himself. Elsewhere on the card we’ve got two Olympians on parade in Lewis Richardson and Charlie Senior, both having their second fights as a professional, plus our prodigious Irish talents in Steven Cairns and Eoghan Lavin, who both appear destined for title-laden futures. Henry Turner will have his second fight at welterweight following his British title setback against Jack, plus we have another Liverpool product in talented young middleweight Stephen Clarke in fight No.7. I’d also like to welcome Jack Power onto the show. 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

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