WEARSIDE Olympian Josh Kelly and Birtley’s Tom Whitfield top the bill at Newcastle’s Walker Dome tomorrow night as Eddie Hearn and his Matchroom team bring their JD NXTGen series of shows to the region, writes Peter Mann.

Kelly, who was part of the British team at last summer’s Rio Olympics, is unbeaten since turning professional earlier this year, while Whitfield, schooled at the Harton and Westoe gym in South Shields, is a former Northern Area title challenger who has lost just one of his five professional contests.

The pair look set for an intriguing contest, with the rest of the bill featuring Beijing Olympian Bradley Saunders, Darlington’s former world champion Stuart Hall, Sunderland’s Warren Baister, Middlesbrough’s Simon Vallily and a host of other North-East fighters.

“I’m really looking forward to it and can’t wait to get in there, on a home show,” said Kelly. “It’s good to be able to fight at home and I’m excited about it more than being nervous. I know what I have in me, and what I have to do to get the job done, it’s just another step on the ladder and we’ll see what’s next after this fight.”

Kelly, who trains under Adam Booth, is unbeaten in his two outings to date, having scored a points success over Jay Byrne on his debut before following it up with a stunning fourth-round stoppage of Jony Vina in his last outing.

“The feeling is that I’m more suited to the pros than amateurs,” he said. “Being with Adam as well is great, he really knows his stuff and I’m enjoying being around knowledgeable people.”

Elsewhere, Hall will look to move closer to another tilt at the IBF World Welterweight title as he returns to the ring for the first time since suffering a controversial points defeat to Lee Haskins.

Hall is eyeing the IBF belt currently held by Ryan Burnett, who wrestled the title away from Haskins when the pair fought in Belfast earlier this month.

Sedgefield fighter Saunders will attempt to get his career back on track after recovering from a double hand injury that threatened to scupper his fighting hopes.

The rest of the undercard is just as tasty, with cruiserweights Vallily and Baister continuing to furnish their reputations. There is a quartet of boxers from Felling-based Fighting Chance in Kyle Redfearn, Krisy Pilkington, Darren Reay and Jamie Humble, while national interest comes in the shape of Preston super-welterweight Scott Fitzgerald and Liverpool’s Anthony Fowler.

Female Olympian Natasha Jonas will also be a major draw as she makes her professional debut. Jonas created history at London 2012 as the first female boxer to compete in the Olympics, and having become the latest figurehead in women’s boxing to turn professional, she will take on Poland’s Monika Antonik on her debut.

Jonas, who turned 32 earlier this week, is targeting titles in her first year in the paid ranks, and could be on a collision course with old Olympic rival Katie Taylor.