Team GB Olympic team captain Anthony Fowler has signed a promotional contract with Matchroom and will make his first outing in the paid ranks on the undercard of the IBF world welterweight title showdown between Kell Brook and Errol Spence on May 27 at Bramall Lane.
Fowler the 2014 Commonwealth gold medalist and six-time ABA champion will be trained by former DAILY SPORT columnist Dave Coldwell who steered fellow Merseyside hero Tony Bellew to world honours.
“When I won Commonwealth gold that made my own name and then boxing in the Olympics and now turning pro, I really feel I can make a big impact in the city,” Fowler told DAILY SPORT Boxing.
“I think being British champion in 18 months is a good target for me. I’ve got good people around me that give me great advice and allow me to just train and prepare to fight while they take care of that. I trust them a lot and they will pick the route for me and choose the right fights at the right time, which I know is so important in boxing.
“I achieved everything I could do in the amateurs apart from getting a media at the Olympics. I waited for Rio because I wanted to go to the Olympics but I was also gaining experience fighting the best of the best. As a pro I think that’s going to show as there’s very few people in England that can live with me and it’s only the very elite in the World that beat me in the amateurs. So I think I am going to shine as a pro and my style is great for it.
“I’ve been knocking people out in the amateurs with big gloves on so I think in the pros that I’ll have more time to pick my shots and over the longer distance I’ll be able to take my time and look really good. As long as I keep my head down and live the life, I don’t see any reason why I won’t become a World champion.”
Matchroom have also snapped up Commonwealth Games winner and former Commonwealth Light-Middleweight champion Jamie Cox who is mandatory challenger for Rocky Fielding’s British super-middleweight title [Fielding beat John Ryder by points split-decision on Saturday night April 23].
“I’m excited to be working with Eddie Hearn and boxing on Sky Sports,” said Cox. “It’s a massive platform for me to showcase my skills. Eddie is putting the biggest shows on, especially at Wembley next week, and I want to be part of these huge nights.
“I’ll be boxing in the Super-Middleweight division, I feel strong, fit and explosive at that weight – I’m ready to rip my way through the 168lbers out there. I want to fight a big profile name ASAP, so the public can see what I’m all about. We will then push towards that World title shot in the next year to 18 months.
“I love training. We work under the butchers shop and I go up to the lab with Des Witter in Birmingham, I’m sure that if I play my part right and work hard, I will fulfil my potential with Eddie and Matchroom.
“I’ve been made mandatory to fight the winner of the British Super-Middleweight title fight between John Ryder and Rocky Fielding. I will fight anyone and of course that would be an honour to win that belt. I just can’t wait to get going and get back in the ring doing what I do best!”