Horseshoe stars to get the pro treatment

NATIONAL schoolboy champions will be showcasing their skills after Neilson Boxing got permission to turn their Homecoming Show into a professional and amateur event.

With former IBO inter-continental super-middleweight champion Kelvin Young looking to get his career back on track after signing a three-fight promotional deal with the Neilsons, the brothers – Mark and Tony – have got the go ahead to stage amateur fights on the April 15 show at the Play Football Arena.

After getting approval from the British Boxing Board of Control to have amateurs fight on a professional show, the Neilson have joined forces with Swindon’s Horseshoe ABC to have at least four of their young boxers open the show.

Two of club’s most talented fighters Karum Ajula and Drew Hunt have been added the card after their success in the English Schoolboy Championships Minors Under 34kg section and Under 44kg Class Three respectively.

“It is great we have got the amateurs on the show,” said Mark Neilson. “We know Brian Roberts (Horseshoe head coach) from back in the day when we were in the gyms down at the old Thamesdown Boxing Club.

“Now we are having his boys fighting on our show after he used to train us, it is fantastic.”

Pro-am boxing shows are nothing new around the country, when Malmesbury’s Joe Hughes regained his English super-lightweight title last year in Bristol the event was opened by amateur contests, however, it will be the first time that it has happened in Swindon.

“We don’t think this has been done in the town before,” Tony Neilson said. “It happens elsewhere, so it was just a matter of getting the board’s approval.

“We have got that now and we could have six amateur fights on the show.”

As well as Young, who will be facing Curtis Gargano – who has yet to register a win in 29 contests, the highly-rated Tamuka Mucha and Akeem Ennis-Brown will be in action on the show which will staged nine professional fights on the night.

Meanwhile, Neilson Boxing will be holding their show’s press conference at Play Football on Bramble Road this afternoon (1pm) with all fighters in attendance.

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