Kingswood fighter Aaron Sutton headlines a stacked card of at The Galleries in Bristol on Saturday, stepping up in class to face former world title challenger Joel Julio.
Sutton (14-0) is the reigning Southern Area middleweight champion and the Sanigar Events-backed charge hopes to take a step closer to English and British title contention with a victory over the 37-year-old Colombian (39-12).
Lightweight prospect Anton Haskins (5-0) – the son of former world champion Lee Haskins – is the chief support in a six-round bout against Mexico's Christian Lopez Flores (14-21-2) – as the 22-year-old continues to garner experience.
Hard-hitting heavyweight Isaac Lee is booked for his second contest in the pro ranks and Horfield debutant Logan Dorrington, son of former boxer Darren Dorrington, are also on the card.
Sutton is the main attraction and he is building nicely after a strong start to 2022 with wins over Danny Shannon and Vladimir Georgiev and he is eager to close out the year in style.
Promoter Chris Sanigar is eager to see the 25-year-old put the work done in the gym into action in the ring.
"He’s taking a massive step up in class," he told Bristol Live. "We’ve been looking to get that calibre of opponent, but it’s been very difficult getting a UK boxer.
"Naturally, the London and Manchester boxers don’t want to come to Bristol, so it’s difficult. We want to give Aaron home advantage in these big fights, building him up in a similar way to what we did with Ross Hale, Glenn Catley and Lee Haskins. It’s the same format and I’m hoping that Aaron Sutton will go on and be as successful as those three.
"We’re building Aaron Sutton so he will eventually be the main event at the new 3,000-seater over at Ashton and following on at the one at Filton, 14,000, that’s what we’re looking for."
The news of a new arena at Ashton Gate getting the green light from Bristol City Council is welcome news for Sanigar, who believes the city's boxing scene will benefit hugely from modern venues.
Sanigar first hosted an event in The Galleries in May, with Sutton victorious when headlining that event. The fights will be staged in a ring in a loading bay beneath the shopping centre, making for unique surroundings.
Fight nights have also been staged at Whitchurch Sports Centre and the Dolman Exhibition Hall at Ashton Gate, among other venues over the years, but Bristol has long lacked a prestige, high-capacity arena built for sporting events to help attract the biggest fights to the city.
"That’s what held us back, right back to when Glenn Catley won the world title in 2000," he said. "It was very sad that we had to go to South Africa for his first defence, there wasn’t a venue here in Bristol.
"Here we are 22 years on and there is still not a venue. I know for a fact we are the only major city in the UK that has not got a proper, purpose-built venue.
"Our boxing gym, we’re in the Premier League with boxing. It’s one of the most successful gyms in the country. Lee Selby was over here when he was champion, and Adrian Stone, so we’ve had four world champions just in our gym."
Sutton, a Bristol Rovers fan, was paraded on the pitch at the Mem at half time of Saturday's FA Cup tie against Rochdale and he is eager to impress in the ring next weekend. He is set to be supported by plenty of Gasheads in the crowds and he has urged fans to get behind him.
"It's a massive step up and I'm hoping to get my name out there after this one," the Southern Area champion said. "If I'm not at the top of my game, I'm not going to be winning the fight. I need to put in the best performance I can.
"It means the world to me having it at home in front of my fans, friends and family. I can't wait to show how good I am."
Sanigar believes in his charge, but he says he will be managing him smartly to ensure he fulfils his potential.
"We’d like to go to the English title," Sanigar said when asked about Sutton's future. "I’m the old-fashioned way of English, then British, then European and then world title, step by step and don’t overreach. Slowly, slowly catchy monkey."
Expectations are high for Haskins after his father reached the pinnacle of the sport by claiming the IBF world bantamweight title in 2015 to go alongside his British, Commonwealth and European titles across a fine career.
Sanigar thinks Haskins Jr can reach that level. He said: "We’ve got every belief in him and he can emulate the success of his father, Lee.
"He’s coming along very well. We have to try to keep the reins on him because these young ones now, they’re not as patient as the boys in the past.
"He’s in a tough fight. It’s an international fight card, Aaron’s fighting a boy from Colombia and Anton’s fighting a box from Mexico. We’re flying the opponents in to give the Bristol public first-class entertainment."
Heavyweight prospect Lee (1-0) will look to excite the fans with a powerful display at The Galleries, but Sanigar is eager to see him show his progression as a boxer, too.
"It’s his second fight and we’ve got to be very patient," the veteran trainer said. "With those big boys, one mistake and it’s over, their career can be over.
"Isaac is boxing a very experienced guy in Phil Williams and he will learn from the encounter without a doubt.
"He’s got the power. We’re just trying to work on his boxing ability. I’ve told him the right hand can take you round the block and the left job can take you round the world. He’s a good athlete and he’s learning all the time."
Dorrington comes from good stock and his trainer is looking forward to watching him develop over the coming months and years with his debut on Saturday.
"His father Darren Dorrington was a great boxer," he said. "He had a lot of fights with us and he was a very popular guy in Southmead. Logan has got a lot of talent and we’re really excited with him."
Doors open at The Galleries at 6pm and tickets, priced £40-60, are available online here. Sanigar urged fight fans to get behind Bristol's latest crop of prospects.
"It’s a massive night of boxing and it’s about coming along and getting behind these boys," he said.
"Boxing is the most successful sport in the West Country with the champions we’ve had from our gym. We’re going to take the boys to the very top and to follow them from the beginning right through is a fabulous journey.
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