Cyclone Promotions and Matchroom Boxing are delighted to confirm the first two Ireland vs. England battles on the undercard of Carl Frampton and Scott Quigg’s World Super-Bantamweight unification clash at the Manchester Arena on February 27, live on Sky Sports Box Office in the UK and on SHOWTIME in the US.
Belfast’s Marco McCullough and Morecambe’s Isaac Lowe clash for the vacant Commonwealth Featherweight title while unbeaten former Team GB star Charlie Edwards tackles Belfast’s Luke Wilton in a final eliminator for the British Flyweight title at the sold-out arena.
McCullough will be full of confidence ahead of his first action of 2016 having finished a challenging year with wins over Sergejs Logins and Sergio Prado – and the 26 year old expects to have too much for the local man in Manchester.
“I’m delighted to be part of this massive show,” said McCullough. “To be boxing on Sky Sports Box Office on the undercard of my Cyclone stablemate Carl Frampton is a huge moment in my career.
“Isaac is a talented lad but I have boxed at a higher level and I’m one hundred percent confident that I will be walking away with that Commonwealth belt on February 27. My uncle Tommy Waite won the Commonwealth Bantamweight title in Manchester sixteen years ago and I can’t wait to emulate him.
“I have boxed in front of massive crowds before against former World Champions, Isaac hasn’t, and it’s this experience that will prove the difference on the night. I will have the bigger support in Manchester and I’m going to do them proud and win this fight in style.”
English champion Lowe turns 22 this week and the ‘Westgate Warrior’ believes he’ll KO his Belfast rival and notch a second major title in his blossoming career.
“It’s great to get the opportunity to box on such a big show,” said Lowe. “To fight on Sky Sports Box Office is a dream come true so early in my career – I’m so excited.
“Marco has had a good career, he’s a strong puncher – but he’s hittable and beatable. He’s been knocked out twice and on my day I beat him all day long. He is my toughest test so far, but as we’ve seen with my past two fights – the better opposition, the better I perform.
“I’m expecting him to give everything he’s got – but I’m confident I will weather the storm and emerge victorious. If the Irish boo me, so be it. I will feed off that and perform even better. Remember, there will be 10,000 screaming fans from North West, so we will do our best to drown them out. I want to prove to everyone in Britain that I am World class.”
Surrey starlet Edwards landed the English Flyweight title in his fifth fight and defended it in style in November at the Manchester Arena with a sixth round stoppage of Phil Smith to end his debut year on a high. The 22 year old says he wants to hit the ground running in 2016 by landing a British title shot with a big win over the experienced Wilton.
“It’s great to be on such a huge bill in my first fight in 2016,” said Edwards. “Last year was amazing, starting in January with my pro debut before ending the year in Manchester with a first defence of my English title, I couldn’t have asked for more.
“Luke has been around for a while and has had a lot more fights than I have, so I am expecting a tough night, but I am on a roll and I feel unstoppable, and I fully expect to put in a great performance in Manchester.”
Cyclone and Matchroom will be announcing further championship fights on the undercard later this week.
