WORLD'S YOUNGEST BOXING PROMOTER OFFERS 'BRAGGING RIGHTS' IN COVENTRY

Coventry’s Charlie Herdman, possibly the world’s youngest boxing promoter at just seventeen, is looking forward to staging ‘Bragging Rights’ at the city’s Sports Connexion Arena next Saturday via his company Champions Boxing League.

"We’ve twenty bouts on Bragging Rights with gold medallists, kickboxing champions and unlicensed amateur champions fighting. It’s an appropriate title as the main event is the six rounds twelve-minute contest between Josh Tidman and Jay Mali, Britain’s best 61kg unlicensed boxers both of whom are tough talented and courageous.

‘I deliver excellence, so attendees feel like it’s a major professional show. LED screens, lighting rigs, broadcast TV deals, fireworks all creating an amazing atmosphere like at the O2. Bouts are equally matched for genuine audience entertainment which anyone can watch via my channel Leapfrog TV.

Tidman, 21 in May, said: "I can’t thank this beautiful sport of boxing enough for the massive improvements it’s made to my life as I’ve entered adulthood. I’ve boxed seriously for three years coached by my dad Neil and Conor Robson at Bulkington Boxing Club and have built up a creditable record of 17 wins and two draws in 21 fights. I’m grateful to my sponsors @Lizd_Sports Massage, AKJ Brickwork and JMH Bathrooms. My ambition is to give up bricklaying and become a professional boxer maybe emulating Ricky Hatton who it’s said snatched souls with body shots, but firstly I need to beat my opponent the undefeated highly rated Jay Mali.

Herdman is himself a competent boxer and as ‘The Hitman’ isundefeated in six bouts beginning with a charity event in 2018 for Parkinson’s after his grandfather’s death.

"I admire Prince Naseem, such an entertaining fighter. I look up to promoter Eddie Hearn. I’d love to emulate his Matchroom Boxing. His use of social media to generate hype and produce genuinely enthralling events is amazing. But I’m not doing too badly for now."