MTK GLOBAL HITS LIVERPOOL!
MTK Global present another exciting eight-fight card on Friday evening as they return to the fighting city of Liverpool. The card includes former world champions, multiple world title challengers, Olympians as well as some exciting local fighters. The show is being broadcast on IFLTV in the UK and ESPN+ in the USA.
At the top of the bill, James ‘Jazza’ Dickens (26-3 11KO) takes on Australian, Nathaniel ‘Cheeky’ May (21-1 12KO) with the IBF European Featherweight title on the line.
Local favourite and former British champion Dickens, 28, conquered the domestic scene at super bantamweight and is now looking to make his mark at featherweight. Since returning to the ring in March 2018, Dickens has had four fights and finished them all inside five rounds.
Clearly benefiting from the activity, all signs indicate that ‘Jazza’ is beginning to display the natural talent that people inside the game have always suggested he possesses.
In the opposite corner, Nathaniel May arrives in Liverpool as something of an unknown quantity to the general boxing public. The majority of his fights, to date, have been in Australia against unknown opposition but during fight week he has talked up his power and insists he is on Merseyside to knock Dickens out in front of his home fans.
The fight has plenty of interesting angles and looks very difficult to predict. Despite Nathaniel May claiming this week that ‘Jazza’ doesn’t have the power to trouble him, records suggest both fighters carry enough power to warrant respect from each other and the fight could swing towards whoever can implement their style more effectively.
It is fair to say that the pedigree lies with southpaw Dickens but the unpredictability and confidence that Nathaniel May brings to the ring, makes him a dangerous proposition.
Also on the card, four-time world title challenger Martin Murray (37-5-1 17KO) returns to the ring against Rui Manuel Pavanito (10-8-1 5KO) as he looks to bounce back from his contentious defeat to Hassan N’dam at the back end of 2018. Murray, 36, has fought the best fighters the middleweight division has to offer over the years but as he enters the final stage of his career he insists he is now “fighting without pressure” and taking each fight as it comes.
Former world champion Terry ‘Turbo’ Flanagan (33-2 13KO) also features on the card as he takes on Jonas Segu (19-8-2 6KO). ‘Turbo’ is coming off the back of two defeats to Maurice Hooker and Regis Prograis in 2018 but both fights were up at 140lbs, a weight category that clearly didn’t suit the Manchester man.
This fight marks a welcome return to 135lbs, were Flanagan held a world title previously, and he insists that there is plenty left in the tank. Time will tell, but there could be some big fights on the horizon in the autumn if Flanagan can come through Friday night unscathed.
Former Olympian Natasha Jonas (7-1 5KO) also makes an appearance on the card as she continues to rebuild after he first defeat as a professional in August 2018. ‘Miss GB’ takes on Bec Connolly over six rounds and despite her shock defeat last year, big fights are still being touted for the back end of 2019.
Sam Maxwell (11-0 9KO) also appears further down the card as he takes on the well-travelled Oscar Amador over six. The heavy-handed scouser is fresh off his sensational knockout defeat over Sabri Sediri in March and will be looking to continue building momentum in a red hot super lightweight division.
Craig Glover (9-2 8KO) also looks to return to winning ways after being stopped by Vaclav Pejsar earlier this year and takes on the experienced Jiri Svacina. Glover, who is managed by Tony Bellew, had been close to landing some big domestic fights earlier this year and he will be looking to regain momentum with a win on Friday night.
Undefeated Ged Carroll (10-0) also continues his development over six rounds against Jordan Ellison and John Quigley keeps busy with a fight against Alexander Zeldon.