THE North-East is well known for its sporting rivalries, primarily within a footballing context with those of Newcastle United and Sunderland.

Now, as we head into the new fight season several new rivalries will open up across both Tyne and Wear. Firstly you have the inter-promotional rivalry with, following the surprise return of Sunderland legend Phil Jeffries to the promotional game; he’s ruffled feathers across the Tyne with that of Fighting Chance Promotions.

The Felling-based outfit will put on their first home show on November 29 at the Gateshead Leisure Centre fronted by Hobson Promotions (Jeffries’ return is the following afternoon at Rainton Meadows). Headed by an International title shot for the returning Tyneside cruiserweight, Jon-Lewis Dickinson, Fighting Chance have promised fireworks not only here, but in the future.

“We’re not only looking forward to aiding putting Tyneside boxing firmly on the map but we at Fighting Chance are certainly going places; the titles our fighters have won along with TV deals we are putting in place shows that,” stated Director Lewis Pendleton.

Secondly the first Area title of the new season will be contested on the Hobson-Fighting Chance showpiece, and a Tyne-Wear affair at that.

Unbeaten welterweight duo, Tynesider Robert Dixon, who has won all twelve of his outings and holds the International Masters Bronze strap, and Wearsider Lee Mould, with one draw and six wins from his seven outings, are set to collide over ten rounds. Fans will remember a recent Tyne-Wear classic when, on the 2013 Summer Rumble, Andrew Buchanan and Jonson McClumpha served up a six round war draw. Both of those fighters will be getting an outing on the respective home shows – Buchanan (Gateshead) and McClumpha (Rainton Meadows).

Both shows are setting themselves up nicely and promising to serve their usual classic to the north’s fight fans – the choice of where to go is down to you but keep an eye online for regular updates in their respective build-ups.

Round-up of the Regional Amateur Scene

The weekend saw a couple of amateur shows in the region as first, on Friday night, Seaton Deleval WMC hosted the Empire SOB event. Standout results from the evening would see three stoppage victories – a mixed bag for Brandon Boxing Club would see a win and loss as P. Hardman scored a first round TKO against his Albert Hill opponent.

Of the other stoppage victories Redcar’s Tom Hill inflicted a second round TKO on the home fighter, M. Richardson. Of the six Empire fighters on show it was a three win, three loss split for the home show lads.

The following night, in Spennymoor, Rob Ellis’ Boxing Academy took on a regional select squad, again with a mixed set of results for the home club. Ellis would have been pleased that the sole stoppage success on the show went to one of his own as G. Potts inflicted a first round victory on Tootill’s S. Duddin.

Tootill gained revenge later on though as Daniel Pettler scored a unanimous decision result on the home fighter, Aaron Camsell. Wearmouth and Brandon both had two fighters involved with the latter seeing J. Dixon defeat Lambton Street’s A. Hamilton and C. Robson lose to home fighter G. O’Neill. Spennymoor’s G. Dodds claimed the best Senior boxer on the show following his defeat of Greenock’s M.Harkin with a unanimous decision result of his own. It was to be a good way for the Spennymoor Coach Ellis to see in his birthday.