Manchester Super-Featherweight contender Zelfa Barrett hopes that a win over Liverpool rival Jazza Dickens this Saturday at Co-op Live, shown live worldwide on DAZN, will springboard him towards a second shot at world honours in the 130 lbs division.
The 31-year-old came up short when he challenged Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov for the IBF crown at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi back in November 2022, succumbing to a ninth-round stoppage at the hands of the Tajikistan fighter after a valiant effort.
‘Brown Flash’ (31-2, 17 KOs) bounced back from the second loss of his career with three straight wins, most recently stopping Jordan Gill in ten rounds at Manchester Arena last April, and the Man United fanatic believes he is one win away from a second World Title shot.
“Being a World Champion, for me, that’s the end goal,” said Barrett. “I’ve underachieved if I’ve not become a World Champion. Being English Champion, Commonwealth Champion, European Champion – some fighters don’t ever achieve this. Their limit is the British. They’ll get to the European level and get beat. I boxed for the World Title. This is my journey and you’re just a fighter on it, in the way of where I need to be.
“Boxing is a about how good you are, not how many tickets you can sell. When you’re a world class fighter, it’s about how good you are. I’m not a benchwarmer. I’m not an Ole Gunnar Solskjær, where you come on in injury time and you score. I’m starting. I’m Thierry Henry. I’m Drogba. I’m that guy. In my weight, at 130 lbs, the best of me beats anyone.
“I just need the opportunity. That’s all I need. I’ve just got to keep winning. I’ve got to brutally win, whether it’s a boxing lesson or a knockout. When it gets this close to the fight, my fuse gets shorter and I’m more locked in and more focused. I don’t really laugh. It’s serious – this is my life. As my Uncle Pat would say, it’s as serious as a heart attack. I’m just focused.”
Former British and European Welterweight Champion Pat ‘Black Flash’ Barrett will be in his nephew’s corner once more for his 34th fight in the professional ranks, and the renowned former World Title challenger isn’t taking the challenge of Dickens lightly.
“Zelfa has been boxing as a pro for over a decade. Most fighters you see come and go after so long. But for ten years strong he’s still going strong. He’s still waiting to get this World Title fight. It’s way overdue.
“Jazza is not to be overlooked. We’re definitely not overlooking him. It’s a really good fight for Zelfa. It’s a fight that is keeping him up there, rather than thinking he’s just got some opponent. Jazza isn’t just an opponent. I just know what we do going into something 150% – physically and mentally ready – that will take us to where we want to go.”
Barrett vs. Dickens is part of a huge night of boxing in Manchester, Chorley’s JackCatterall (30-1, 13 KOs) takes on undefeated American Arnold Barboza Jr (31-0, 11 KOs) for the interim WBO Super-Lightweight World Title, Watford’s ReeceBellotti (19-5, 14 KOs) defends his British and Commonwealth Super-Featherweight Titles against Manchester’s Michael GomezJr (21-1, 6 KOs) in a highly-anticipated grudge match, PatMcCormack (6-0, 4 KOs) steps up as he defends his WBA Intercontinental Welterweight Title against Liverpool’s former British, Commonwealth and European Champion Robbie Davies Jr (24-5, 15 KOs), Manchester Light-Heavyweight Conner Tudsbury makes his professional debut against Belgium’s Sadaam Moamed Da Silva Caetano, Oldham’s Aqib Fiaz (12-1, 1 KO) returns at Lightweight against Malta’s Lydon Chircop (7-2, 4 KOs) over six rounds, Manchester Super-Welterweight powerhouse William Crolla (6-0, 5 KOs) faces Spain’s Ayoub Zakari (5-7-1) over six rounds and Manchester Featherweight AlfieMiddlemiss (1-0) kicks off the Before The Bell action in a four round fight with Middlesborough’s Caine Singh (1-5-2).
