Chatteris boxer Jordan Gill and Wisbech fighter Joe Steed gear up for big fights on December 11 and 18
Two Fenland boxing stars are gearing up for their next in-ring encounters.
Chatteris fighter Jordan Gill was scheduled to battle for the European featherweight belt in Liverpool this Saturday, but title-holder Karim Guerfi has pulled out due to illness.
With the fight likely to be rescheduled for 2022, Gill will still be in action against an as-of-yet unidentified opponent.
Meanwhile, Wisbech’s Joe Steed will return to action on December 18 in what should be one of the biggest shows to be staged in Norfolk over the past decade.
The super-welterweight will be fighting for the first time since February 2020, with his 7-0 unbeaten record on the line.
At the moment, he is also awaiting his opponent being chosen.
He told The Citizen: “I had four fights in 2018 and then three in 2019. Each time I got into the ring I could see an improvement.
“I was hoping that 2020 was going to be the year that would see me keep improving and learning and pushing towards bigger fights.
“The pandemic has shown me that you can’t take anything for granted. Being at the start of my career I had to go and get jobs, but it made me more determined to be the best that I can.
“The fight that I will have in December will hopefully show that all the work that I have put in has been worthwhile.
“2022 is a year in which I would like to have three or four fights and I’d like to make strides up the British rankings.”
Meanwhile, Gill has expressed disappointment at his European title fight being postponed.
In an Instagram post last Friday, he said: “Absolutely gutted to say Karim Guerfi has pulled out next week due to illness. Wish him a speedy recovery and hope to reschedule the European title fight first thing 2022.”
Gill, who was raised in Chatteris and attended Kingsfield Primary School and Cromwell Community College, had been eagerly awaiting the bout as a means to finally put his sole professional loss to bed.
The featherweight fighter lost to Mexican Mario Enrique Tinoco in May 2019 to lose his WBA International belt - which he has now reclaimed - and unbeaten record.
He has won three fights since, taking that record to 26-1.
Before that, he had taken part in a range of high-profile bouts. These included a Commonwealth title clash with Ryan Doyle, which helped Gill bring his first championship back to the Fens.
He then relinquished that title in order to pursue the WBA belt, which he won after defeating Emmanuel Dominguez in Peterborough.
He now awaits the rescheduling of his European title fight.
