Calling all fight fans: unmissable heavyweight knockout tournament Ultimate Boxxer 6 coming to Manchester

Written by Mikey Richardson
Last updated 4 years ago
Boxing, City of Manchester, Events, Sponsored, Sport

Ultimate Boxxer is back at Manchester’s Planet Ice Arena in December – and this time it’s packing a proper punch as eight heavyweights go head to head in the most prestigious division of them all.

Following on the back of September’s Ultimate Boxxer 5 at The O2 in London where it was the super welterweights’ turn in the spotlight, Ultimate Boxxer 6 will have Manchester fight fans excited to see who will progress in this one night elimination tournament featuring eight highly ranked fighters from around the UK.

“The heavyweight division is absolutely thriving right now and we are very excited to put on this monster event and add to a huge December calendar for heavyweight fight fans,” said Ultimate Boxxer founder Ben Shalom.

The action in the ring is combined with live music, star-studded talent and entertainment for a next generation spectacle.

The winner will get the lion’s share of the prize money, a promotional deal and be catapulted up the domestic ratings.

The contenders are as follows:

1. Manchester’s Chris Healey (8-6) will be eager to put on a career best performance after being dogged by injuries following an impressive start to his professional career with six wins from his first seven fights.

The southpaw from Stockport has come through major back surgery and the loss of his father in 2016 and will be keen for revenge against two of the contenders on the event card – Mark Bennett and Jonathan Palata who have handed him his last two defeats.

2. London-based Frank Warren fighter Jonathan ‘God Speed’ Palata (7-0) enters the fray at UB6 with an impressive and unbeaten professional record, following a stellar amateur career which saw him rack up an ABA novice championship, London ABA championship and the prestigious Haringey Box Cup.

Training out of the famous Peacock Gym, he joins with fast hands and big reputation which sees him tipped as one to watch in the competition.

3. Scott Welch-managed contender Nick ‘Wild’ Webb (13-2) enters UB6 with an impressive professional record – 11 wins coming by way of KOs against opponents such as Ferenc Zsalek and fellow UB6 contender, Chris Healey.

He has been frustrated by title fights with Daniel Dubois and Nathan Gorman falling through in the past and will be hoping to put his only defeats to date against former Commonwealth Champion Dave Allen and Kamil Sokolowski (who also joins the tournament) firmly behind him.

4. Kamil Sokolowski (7-15-2) is a former Muay-Thai champion. The Polish fighter started out as a journeyman, winning only two of his first 13 fights. Those defeats came against the likes of Dillian Whyte, Kash Ali and Gary Cornish.

He has since changed tactics, refocused his efforts, and has improved dramatically under the watchful eye of Gavin Lane at the Barum Boxing Club in Barnstaple. Only Whyte and Nathan Gorman have stopped him in his career and he’s already beaten UB6 contenders Nick Webb and Sean Turner. Tipped as a dangerous dark horse.

5. Mark ‘Bad News’ Bennett (5-0) toured Afghanistan before a serious injury forced a medical discharge. He then took up boxing as a 27-year-old, and has never looked back.

He hasn’t lost a bout at amateur level or amongst the professional ranks and now the relative unknown could come into this as a dark horse having already beaten Ferenc Zsalek and fellow tournament entrant Chris Healey in his professional career.

6. Glasgow hard man Jay ‘Ghost’ McFarlane (10-4) arrives on the UB6 scene as the youngest fighter in the tournament at just 21. He spent some time in a Caribbean orphanage as a youngster, and has dived into 14 professional fights already in his career.

He fought in NYC at Madison Square Garden against Matt McKinney in March 2018, and dropped to 14 stone 4lbs to fight for the Scottish Cruiserweight title, which he won against Ratu Latianara in June of last year.

7. Former professional rugby league player Josh Sandland (4-1-1), Ultimate Boxxer represents another chance to succeed in top level sport, having played for Huddersfield Giants and Wakefield Wildcats.

He defeated fellow UB6 competitor Jay McFarlane earlier this year and his only defeat came in just his second outing

8. Sean ‘Big Sexy’ Turner (12-3) followed the example set by Ultimate Boxxer 5 champion Steven Donnelly and went about securing his spot on the UB6 card by hammering the social media team across Instagram and Twitter.

The monster Irishman has had an impressive amateur career with 120 amateur fights, winning 90 contests. He held multiple junior titles and fought Anthony Joshua twice, losing both on points.

After defeats to Filip Hrgovic and Nathan Gorman in his last two outings, the Dubliner will be out to prove he’s back on the right path to heavyweight glory at UB6.

Friday 13th December at Manchester Planet Ice Arena and will be broadcast live on BT Sport 1, BoxNation and BT Sport Youtube.

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