English heavyweight champion Solomon Dacres will make his latest appearance on Queensberry’s ‘Magnificent Seven Ride Again’ card on March 16th and show promoter Frank Warren is hoping to match him with David Adeleye.
Last October, Adeleye was stopped in the seventh round of his British title fight with Fabio Wardley and his post fight behavior has landed him in hot water with the British Boxing Board of Control.
As referee John Latham signaled an end to the grudge match, a bloody and disappointed Adeleye pushed the referee away and followed it with a right hook to the official’s body.
Adeleye (12-1, 11 KO’s) is currently suspended pending a hearing, but Warren hopes the disciplinary procedure will be completed in time for Adeleye to fight Dacres (8-0, 2 KO’s) in Birmingham.
“We want to make the fight between him and David Adeleye,” Warren said at Thursday’s press conference. “It’s a tremendous, tremendous all British affair. There’s a lot on the line for both fighters. David has been suspended by the British Boxing Board of Control pending a hearing concerning him pushing the referee and his behavior. That’s got to be dealt with and I’d like it to be dealt with quickly so we know where he is and whether he’ll be able to fight or not but that’s the fight we would like to make.
“For what he’s done, he’s got to pay the price whenever that is, that’ll be but this is a great opportunity for him as a comeback fight and a great opportunity for Sol to show what he’s all about. He took his last fight at very short notice which in some ways was a bit unfair. We signed him and wanted to give him an opportunity and I think there’s more to him than his last performance.”
It is said that you never get a second chance to make a first impression and Dacres will be keen to make sure his second appearance under the Queensberry banner is more impressive than his debut. The 30-year-old appeared fortunate to retain his title via a majority decision after struggling through his fight with Michael Webster in November but was a talented amateur and remains unbeaten as a professional.
Opportunities abound for heavyweights these days, but Dacres is aware that he needs to make an impression. He still believes he has the potential to emerge as the leader of Britain’s pack of talented young heavyweights.
“I definitely think I can be. My last performance wasn’t great, but I came in at late notice,” he said. “I’d been in Saudi for a bit of sun and enjoying the [Fury v Ngannou] show. I came back and they said let’s go in two weeks. I said, “OK let’s go for it.” I didn’t have my proper preparation but now I’m training hard and got plenty of time to prepare so let’s see where I can go. The top is where I think I can go.
“The heavyweight mix is all action and Franks’s got his hands on all the heavyweight players at the minute. I wanna be one of the big players myself. Get myself back out there with a good fight and make another statement.”
Provided his suspension is lifted, Adeleye would seem to provide Dacres with the ideal opportunity to do so. The fight would also be a must win fight for the Londoner who will need to rebound from the conclusive defeat to Wardley and prove he can succeed at domestic level.
Dacres was in Saudi Arabia to witness Adeleye’s defeat to Wardley and wasn’t shy about voicing his opinions on Adeleye on the night. He also has a clear idea of what will happen if and when they do fight.
“You saw what happened in his last fight. Expect more of the same,” he said.
“He got knocked out. How much poorer can you get? That’s the ultimate worst way to go is to get knocked out and that’s why happened. I don’t think he won a round and he got knocked out so that speaks for itself.”