The Ultimate Boxxer tournaments are back and will be bigger than ever on their new platform of Sky Sports. The tournament mirrors the old prize-fight events with 8 fighters competing with the eventual winner winning three fights over three, three-minute rounds in one night. The first Ultimate Boxxer show on Sky Sports will be at Super Lightweight and will be held in Liverpool at the M & S Bank Arena on November 6th.
Birmingham will be well represented with two very fighters with very contrasting styles throwing their hats in the ring.
Coming out of Eastside gym you have the highly talented and unbeaten beaten Cori Gibbs who will be going into this contest as one of the favorites. Gibbs has a very impressive record of 13 wins without defeat but has not fought since June of 2019. Gibbs has had one 8 rounder, two 6 rounder’s, and 10 four-rounders during his career. He was also a very accomplished amateur boxer and has won multiple titles before turning over to the professional ranks. He will defiantly be one of the fighters to watch in this tournament and must be one of the favorites.
The other fighter representing Birmingham is Cogan’s Corners inspirational fighter Ben Fields. Fields (31) has an amazing and inspirational story and has shown anything is possible if you have the will to change. Fields turned over to the pros just to be a journeyman but after beating a number of unbeaten fighters on the road he was renamed ‘The ‘0’ Taker’ by the Birmingham Boxing Column which has stuck with him. Fields on paper has the worst record in this tournament with ten wins, ten defeats, and two draws, but seven of his wins have been against unbeaten fighters on the road. Fields has also fought a few of the fighters in the event before with big wins over Kane Gardener and Nathan Bennett, he has also taken on Lee Appleyard in an English eliminator where he lost on points. Fields trainer Shaun Cogan told the Column “This event is made for Ben, his style is perfect for these short three-round fights” Fields has also completed in two Midlands area title fights winning the Super Lightweight area title against Alex Fearon on points and losing to the talented Kaisee Benjamin on point for the Welterweight title.
Also in the event, you have Sean Dodd, Tom Farrell, Kane Gardener, Levi Kinsiona, Lee Appleyard, and Nathan Bennett. The show is live on Sky Sports on the 6th of November in Liverpool, contact the boxers for tickets.
Dexter’s Thoughts
Well after Sky Sports said goodbye to Matchroom I did think that the channel would struggle to get top-level boxing back, but they have. I remember the old Prize-fighter shows on Sky which were fantastic and entertaining shows on which the ultimate boxxer tournaments are based on. Cori Gibbs has got to go in this as one of the favorites as he is unbeaten and had a great amateur pedigree, but will this format suit his style? There is no doubt that he is an outstanding boxer but like his stablemate, Kaisee Benjamin found out the ultimate Boxxer shows are intense and you need to start fast. But if he starts the fights as his brother Tion did in his Midlands area victory a few weeks ago I think he will be a serious contender to get that golden robe.
Like Ben Fields Coach Shaun Cogan said, this contest is made for ‘The ‘0’ Taker’ and I have to agree. Fields ragamuffin style is made for these three-round fights and he is more than capable of keeping up that relentless pressure for 9 rounds and is a serious threat to anyone in this event. He started boxing to beat addiction and has one of the most inspirational stories in the fight game as he went from a ‘Road man’ to ‘Journeyman’ to a title contender. Both fighters have a serious shot at winning this contest and let’s hope these two Brummie fighters don’t meet until the final.