The Birmingham Boxing Column have compiled a program for the Overhand Right promotions show March Madness at the H-Suite Edgbaston. The writing of the program is available to read below or you can download the pdf on this page by clicking on the link below which will take you to a pdf you can keep on you phone/tablet/PC.
Welcome to Overhand Right promotions in association with Tommy Owens Promotions' first-ever show together at the new home of boxing in Birmingham ‘The H-Suite Edgbaston’. Cogans Corner gym and DnA gym have teamed up with Tommy Owens Promotions and Jon Pegg to bring you ‘March Madness’. The show has seven of the Midlands up-and-coming fighters in the home corner with six fights over four three-minute rounds and the main event being over six three-minute rounds.
Making his debut as a professional boxer we have Flyweight 22-year-old Brad Coley. Coley is the younger brother of the talented hot prospect Lewis Coley who is unbeaten in four contests. Brad will be looking to emulate his brother with an impressive win in his first four-round contest Brad is from Kingstanding and trains at Second City gym under the tutelage of James Thomas. Coley only boxed as a junior in the amateurs and won four Midlands titles a gold medal in the box cup and was a finalist two times in a row in the nationals. Brad took a break from boxing for a few years but is now back and looking to make an impact on the pro debut.
Dexter’s Thoughts
I am really looking forward to seeing Brad’s debut, if he has half the potential of his brother, he will be an outstanding prospect. I have been informed by Paddy Farrall who has talked him up to me that he is a talent, and I know that the amateurs that come out of second city gym are all good boxers. There have been some great pro boxers that have come out of the Second City as well with the likes of Brad’s brother Lewis Coley, another hot prospect Niall Farrell and the former British Light Heavyweight Champ Shakan Pitters. Brad had a great amateur career as a junior and will now look to showcase his skills in the professional ranks, I know already that he will have a massive support behind him for his debut and I can only see a Coley victory.
Umar Anjum makes a return to the ring after having just over a year out of the squared circle. Anjum originally from Halifax Yorkshire but now resided in Redditch is unbeaten in three contests with his last fight being against Ryan Bithell in February of 2022. The DnA Light-Heavyweight will be looking to make it four fights without defeat and knock the ring rust off in this four-round contest.
Dexter’s Thoughts
Great to see Anjum back in the squared circle after a year out, he always puts a controlled steady performance in and will be looking to knock the ring rust off and make it four without defeat. I have no doubt that he will get the victory and hopefully will be more active in 2023.
Elliott Sowe looks to get back to winning ways after suffering his first defeat in his career. The 24-year-old from Birmingham had won his first four contests beating good journeymen like Josh Hodgins and Liam Richards on the way. He was beaten by a very game fighter in Kirk Stevens in November of 2022 who went on and shocked everyone in the Midlands boxing community by winning the TOP Boxer Tournament in February 2023. Sowe will attempt to put that defeat behind him and hopefully has learnt from it and will be looking for an impressive win in his four-round contest welterweight fight.
Dexter’s Thoughts
Sowe must be itching to get back in the ring and get back to winning ways. Kirk Stevens did look like an easy win on paper as he had fought twice and lost both of them, but he has proven with his win against Sowe and then his TOP Boxer Tournament victory that he can cause anyone problems on his day. If Sowe learns from this defeat, I’m sure him and his DnA team will get the win tonight.
Jagdeep Purewal is another DnA fighter who is coming off his first defeat. He was beaten in the TOP Boxer Tournament being beaten on points by Taylor Greig in a 3-round contest. Known as ‘Freeze’ the slick hands down fighter will be looking to get back to winning ways in a four-round contest. The twenty-two year old won his first four contests and beat the tough Liam Richards on his debut back in February of 2022. The Orthodox fighter from Selly Oak will be looking to put that defeat behind him and get his fifth ‘W’ in his career.
Dexter's Thoughts
Purewal’s style was all wrong for the TOP Boxer Tournament the greater number of rounds Purewal does the better he will look. The three rounds with an intense fighter were never going to work for him. He may only be doing four rounds this time but they won’t be as intense and I can see Purewal going back to his slick backfoot boxing and winning the contest.
Sam Pikire has had two fights so far and is coming of a shock defeat to Stu Greener back in June 2022. Pikire is a very slick technical lightweight boxer and like his team, I was shocked by this defeat. The 29-year-old from Longbridge will be looking to set the record straight and get a win. With the DnA team behind him, I’m sure this fight will end with his hands being raised.
Dexter’s Thoughts
Sam Pikire is at the start of his boxing journey and I can say hand on heart he has the talent to go far. He lost his last fight but in a way that may help him more than winning 10 in a row. Hopefully, he has learned from it and will be hungry to add his second ‘W’ to his record. I can see him making a statement on the 25th.
Next, we have Cogans Corner Legend and inspirational fighter ‘The 0-Taker‘ Ben Fields. The 33-year-old Birmingham fighter has drawn his last two fights but has not won in his last six. Fields will be fighting out of the home corner in this four-rounder for once and he will be looking to put his opponent through the mill and get the victory. Fields last victory was against Alex Fearon when he won the Super Lightweight Midlands title in September of 2020.
Dexter’s Thoughts
It has been a long time since I have been to a show with the O-Taker in the home corner and I’m sure he is coming to add a victory to his record. He has been fighting out of the away corner for the last 2 years and has taken on some of the toughest fighters in the welterweight and super welterweight divisions. I can only see a home win here and with his trainer Shaun Cogan in his corner, I can only see a Fields win.
In the main event of the night doing a six rounder, we have DnA’s hot prospect Mike Tyler. The 26-year-old Bermuda-born fighter is unbeaten in five pro contests and will be looking to make it six at the H-Suite. This will be Tyler’s first fight over six three-minute rounds as a pro and he will be looking to put on a great performance as he headlines this show. Tyler fought as an amateur for the Bermuda National team and had twelve fights and won nine. He started boxing back in Bermuda to learn how to protect himself, he soon realised that he had a talent for the noble art, the rest is history.
Dexter’s Thoughts
This will be Tyler’s first six-rounder as a pro and he will be headlining the show. I have been present at most of his fights and have been very impressed with his shot-picking and ring craft. He is the pick of the hot prospects DnA gym is producing at the moment and he will be looking to shine as the headliner of this great show.