RED HOT McNESS KICKS OFF PRO CAREER AT YORK HALL

Amateur star Sam McNess is primed and ready for his long-awaited professional debut on Friday 12th June at the York Hall, Bethnal Green.

The former Team GB and Repton ace, who was ranked number one in Britain, will enter the pro-ranks in a four round welterweight contest against Hull’s Paul O’Brien.

McNess, 23, features on the undercard of Miles Shinkwin’s ten-round International Light-Heavyweight contest against Hungarian Bela Juhasz, alongside Former Commonwealth Cruiserweight Champion Tony Conquest and top undefeated prospect Gary Corcoran.

After a glittering amateur career, McNess is relishing his pro-debut and then aims to steadily rise through the 147lbs division as he works towards his short term target of a British title and then ultimately a world crown.

The young talent is trained by Mark Tibbs with his legendary father Jimmy also on hand and McNess can also turn to his father Steve, who was a handy pro at light-middleweight in the 1990s, for advice.

“I had a fantastic time in the amateurs and will keep the memories, but now I can’t wait to start my pro career,” said McNess.

“Turning pro was something that I’ve always wanted to do and I when I didn’t go to the Commonwealth Games last year in Glasgow and knew that the Olympics were still a way off and I’d be 25 by that time, I knew the time was right to turn over,”

“I’ve been training for the last six months with Mark Tibbs who along with his dad Jimmy are probably the most knowledgeable team in British boxing and I couldn’t have asked for more.  My dad is also there for me and he knows the business very well,”

“I’m a box-fighter, I can box when I need to and fight when I need to, but I tend to be more of an attacker, throwing plenty of combinations to head and body with nice tight hooks and uppercuts.”

“My fans are looking forward to seeing me fight and I’m sure the London crowds will get bigger and bigger as the word spreads about me and I deliver exciting performances.”

The welterweight division excites McNess, historically the weight class has produced some of boxing’s greatest ever fighters and is currently one of the hottest divisions.

He added, “When I was growing up my idol was Naseem Hamed who was the greatest thing in boxing, but Saul Alvarez is my favourite current fighter and my style is similar to his,”

“I love watching all the legendary boxers from the past and I’m in a weight division that some of the greatest have fought at like Henry Armstrong, Sugar Ray Robinson and Leonard, to the modern day greats like Oscar De La Hoya, Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jnr.

“When you look at the list of British fighters who have won world titles at the weight like Ted ‘Kid’ Lewis, Lloyd Honeyghan, John H Stracey, Ricky Hatton and now Kell Brook is doing the business, then I know I’ve got to produce something special to win a world title and get my name up there, but I believe that I can do it,”

“I’m looking forward to making a successful debut and putting on a good performance for the London crowd where I haven’t boxed for the last two years and getting my head down after to hard training, learning and achieving my dream.”

Completing the card will be Sudbury light-middleweight ace Billy Baird; Welsh light-welterweight hotshot Zack Davies; exciting Chingford super-featherweight Boy Jones Jnr.; explosive Ilford light-heavyweight talent Anthony Yarde; Acton flyweight Prince Patel and the pro debut of Leicester powerhouse Leon ‘Wonderboy’ Woodstock.

The show will be promoted by Andy Ayling with BoxNation cameras covering the event.

Tickets priced at £40 and £60 are available from Ticket Master atwww.ticketmaster.co.uk