Sheffield, England – 19 December 2023 – GBM Sports will launch 2024 with a mega fight card in Sheffield on Friday 9th February at the Canon Medical Arena that will feature red-hot and unbeaten middleweight star Shakiel Thompson; European Super-Bantamweight Champion Thomas Essomba, who’s life story reads like a Hollywood script, and a blistering 50/50 English Super Bantamweight Title showdown between Stevi Levy and Ebonie Jones, all LIVE and FREE on TalkSPORT YouTube Boxing Channel.

GBM Sports Promoter Izzy Asif follows up his phenomenal ‘Clash on the Court’ event last October that officially opened the brand new Canon Medical Arena, the new home to the basketball teams the Sheffield Sharks and Hatters, with high praise from fans and media.

A breakthrough year for GBM Sports saw it secure a multi-fight broadcast agreement with the world’s largest sport radio station talkSPORT to live stream its events on the official YouTube Boxing Channel.

Undefeated Sheffield Middleweight Thompson (10-0-0, 6 KO’s), features on the card via Sky Sports and promoter BOXXER, faces a competitive test against a former European Kick Boxing champion in Gino Kanters.  

The fast rising Sheffield star has amassed an unbeaten ten-fight record with over half coming by stoppage and aims to deliver a powerful performance to demonstrate that he is ready to challenge for belts this year.

Sheffield based Cameroonian, Essomba (12-8-1, 4 KO’s) who made headlines around the world when he and his teammates from the Cameroon boxing team walked out of the athletes’ village at London 2012 and defected.

Just over a decade later and an incredible journey that could by turned into a Hollywood movie, Essomba was crowned European Champion in May when he sensationally dethroned Italian Alessio Lorusso in Monza.

Now calling Sheffield his home after being granted full citizenship in 2020, Essomba will make the first defence of the title on home turf against the tough Frenchman Konki (14-1-0, 1 KO).

Essomba said, “I’m just so happy to be defending my EBU title at home and looking forward to putting on a show for my Sheffield people.  A massive thank you to my brother Sunny Edwards and Chris from RCP Electric who have funded this fight for me and thank you to GBM Sports and Izzy Asif for putting the show on.  After all the messing around from the French team, I’m looking to causing Konki a lot of problems on the night.”

Levy (9-2-0), Norfolk’s first ever female professional boxer, and Portsmouth’s Jones (4-0-1), a former soldier in the Royal Engineers, collide in a real 50/50 battle with the Vacant English Super-Bantamweight title on the line.

A dearth of hot Sheffield talent from the GBM Sports stable will all feature as they continue to build their careers in 2024.

Unbeaten super-featherweight Faraqat ‘Frak’ Ali (8-0-0) defeated Mexican Christian Lopes Flores last time out and is now on the edge of contention to challenge for the first title of his career.

With three out of four opponents stopped early, dynamite punching prospect Nohman Hussein (4-0-0, 3 KO’s), who also works as an NHS Cardiac Arrest Practitioner, continues to raise pulses whenever he fights.

Former Sheffield Sharks basketball star Neptahali Nembhard (1-0-0) made a successful transition to boxing and follows up his pro debut victory when he totally outclassed Vasif Mamedov.

Conisbrough Welterweight Joe Hayden (11-0-0) looks to maintain his winning record as he looks to keep on course for his first title tilt.

Even more Sheffield boxers’ fighting out of the talent laden city feature on the card, starting with cruiserweight talent Sheldon McDonald (7-1-0, 2 KO’s), mentored by local legend Johnny Nelson, who aims to continue his 3-fight winning run with a victory as he targets titles.

Liam Cameron (21-5-0, 8 KO’s) is another boxer on the card with a remarkable life story that could be made into a movie.  The Sheffield favourite made a triumphant return in October by defeating Robbie Connor after five years out of the ring after serving a four year ban following a failed drugs test and alcohol issues.  Conquering his demons, Cameron is now focused on getting himself back into title contention.

Colourful unbeaten super-middleweight Red Johnson (4-0-0) is back to thrill the fans with his own brand of entertainment in and out of the ring.

Another incredible story on the card sees super-welterweight Owen Durnan (1-0-0) who overcame cancer to make his pro-debut with a victory just last month and now have his second fight.

Finally Bree Wright (Burbeary) (4-0-0, 1 KO) has turned her life around after she was close to taking her own life, suffering mental issues and family tragedies only to be inspired by Tyson Fury’s own comeback and now she is an unbeaten pro with an unbeaten record.

Promoter Izzy Asif is thrilled to put this card together and begin 2024 with a bang.  He said, “Boxing is a sport driven by the stories and characters in the sport and you won’t find a fight card with more real life Rocky stories than on this one.  Each one of them has an inspirational story and how they overcame the odds to be on this card.  GBM Sports promote great shows with in-arena entertainment for the fans to creates an electric atmosphere, but primarily it’s the fighters and fights that make it the event.  This is the start of a big 2024 for GBM Sports, our biggest year yet, where we intend to stage eight shows around the UK and really stamp our brand nationally along with our new broadcast partner talkSPORT.  Watch out!”

Sheffield, England – 7 October 2023 – Promoter Izzy Asif, CEO of GBM Sports, set the bar high with his Clash On The Court event for the grand opening of the brand new Canon Medical Arena in Sheffield last night.

Asif promised that his sixth Championship Boxing event would be his biggest and best to date and he delivered a spectacular night of action and entertainment in the inaugural event at the stunning arena.

Boxing royalty and stars were in attendance at ringside, including reigning World Champions Ebanie Bridges and Sunny Edwards, Former Two-Weight World Champion Billy Joe Saunders, Sheffield icon Johnny Nelson and MC David Diamante.

Despite the early disappointment of the Reece Mould-Martin McDonagh title fight falling through, it didn’t dissuade the fans’ turning out in their droves to pack out the arena and create an electric atmosphere as they stayed to watch all the fight action.

In the main event, Commonwealth Super-Flyweight Champion Emma Dolan, from Newark, successfully defended her title in a pulsating, all-action, fight against the tough and game Worksop challenger Nicola Hopewell to win by wide margins on all three judges’ scorecards.

Red-hot GBM Sports’ Sheffield talents Faraqat ‘Frak’ Ali, Nohman Hussain, Naphtali Nembhard and Conisbrough Joe Hayden, all signed to and guided by Asif, showcased their skill and extended their winning records to highlight themselves as exciting future stars of the company.

Super-featherweight ace Ali took his record to 8-0 by winning every round against Mexican Christian Lopez Flores and is knocking on the door for his first title fight in the near future.

Welterweight prospect Hayden took his record to 11-0 with a four rounds points victory over MJ Hall.

A real star in the making, super-featherweight Hussain erupted the arena with a first round stoppage of Caine Singh.  That was the third stoppage for ‘Stormin Nohman’ in four fights as he continues on his road towards a first title challenge.

In his pro debut, flash middleweight Nembhard, who previously played for the Sheffield Sharks, made a seamless transition from basketball to boxing with a shut-out points victory over hard Russian Vasif Mamedov to show he means business in his new career.

Boxing in Yorkshire and Sheffield in particular is seeing a strong resurgence thanks to GBM Sports’ events in the region and the talented prospects under its banner.

An exciting new name will soon feature alongside Ali, Hussain and Nembhard in the six-time national champion MyKyle Ahmed who was unveiled as its latest star signing.  Ahmed will be jointly-managed by Asif and Billy Joe Saunders who both have extremely high hopes for the precocious talent and he will make his pro debut on a GBM Sports card very soon.

Further Sheffield fight favourites featured on the card with Liam Cameron, Red Johnson and Sam O’maison all in action.

Making an incredible return to the ring after 5 years out following a ban for failing a post fight drugs test and overcoming personal issues and a family tragedy, former Commonwealth Middleweight Champion Cameron defeated Robbie Connor on points over six rounds.

Brash light-heavyweight Johnson put on a show for his fans as he won every round against Ben Thomas as he took his record to unbeaten in four fights.

Former English Super-Lightweight Champion O’maison got back in the winning column with a four round points victory over Jake Smith and looks to return into the title mix again.

Worksop welterweight Declan Cairns completed the card who defeated Rustem Fatkhullin on points over four rounds.

Asif was delighted with his centre piece event and promises that this is still early days for GBM Sports and the best is yet to come.

He said, “We’re just getting better and better with each event and look how far GBM Sports has come in a very short space of time.  We’ve completed our first arena event with a first class production and we’ve got so much more to come, we’ve still really only just started.  Sadly we lost Reece Mould v Martin McDonagh earlier in the morning, but what a great fight it was between Emma and Nicola who both really stepped up to make it top of the bill.  Nicole showed real grit and skill and will come again, but Emma is a quality fighter.  We had a fantastic undercard with Naphtali starting his pro boxing career with a victory in his pro debut, Frak getting another win and then Nohman’s explosive finish to his fight.  Congratulations to all the lads’ on their wins, Liam, Red, Sam, Declan and Joe and I look forward to getting them back on soon.  To further add to the depth and quality of the GBM Sports stable and Sheffield boxing, I’m thrilled to have signed MyKyle Ahmed with Billy Joe and he’s going to be a real star in the future.  As the famous saying goes, You haven’t seen nothing yet!”