Isaac Lowe ready to announce himself with British title triumph on Groves-Eubank undercard
and live on Freeview channel 276
But when it comes to prestige, plenty of British fighters argue that it doesn’t come better than winning a Lord Lonsdale belt.
That’s certainly the view of Isaac Lowe as he heads into battle with Ryan Walsh at the Manchester Arena on Saturday night.
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Hide AdThe pair meet for the Norfolk man’s British crown in front of a sold-out crowd on the undercard of super middleweight stars George Groves and Chris Eubank Jnr clashing in the semi-finals of the World Boxing Super Series.
Unbeaten Lowe has already won the English and Commonwealth straps as well as challenging for European honours in Denmark only to see the fight end in a technical draw with Dennis Ceylan.
But he knows this is something else all together.
“It’s the best belt in boxing,” said the 24-year-old Westgate Warrior.
“When I started boxing at eight years old at Lancaster Boys Club I always thought that if I turned pro I wanted to win that British belt.
“So many great champions have won it.
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Hide Ad“Once you win that belt that gets you more notice that the Commonwealth or the European.
“It’s the belt every boxer wants, I don’t care if you are a world champion and you haven’t won the British title you want to come back down and win it because it’s one of those belts that everyone wants.
“It will be a pleasure and an honour to win it and then we move on.”
Walsh has already been involved in five British title fights and his three successful defences mean he holds the belt outright.
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Hide AdAt 31 he certainly has more experience than Lowe who believes he has other advantages.
The Morecambe man has battled his way to be on one of the biggest stages in British boxing and isn’t going to let it slip away lightly.
“It’s everything for me,” Doncaster-trained Lowe admits.
“It’s make or break for me in a way.
“If I lose I can always come back, I’m only just 24 but it’s a long way back on small hall shows trying to build yourself back up.
“I’ve done all the hard work now.
“I’ve screamed out for big fights and I can’t ask for anymore.
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Hide Ad“I’m fighting the British champion at the Manchester Arena where I watched Ricky Hatton fight in front of 22,000 as the chief support live on ITV Box Office.
“It doesn’t get much bigger. This is my time and I’ve got to go out there and make a real statement.
“I’m not happy with a close win, I want to beat him and make a statement and show people how good I am, simple.”
It’s been a stop-start couple of years where a whole host of factors saw Lowe struggle to kick on from his Commonwealth title triumph over Marco McCullough at the same venue in February 2016.
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Hide AdDespite plenty of frustration after amassing a 17-fight unbeaten record the big Morecambe FC fan is confident his time is now.
“I got my Commonwealth title and I thought that would be it,” Lowe said.
“For a million reasons it didn’t work.
“I got a chance to go for the European title and even though I didn’t come back with the belt, I thought that was the point where promoters and people might look at me and think ‘yes, he is a good kid, let’s give him credit and let’s give him a chance.
“It stopped a little bit but this is the platform, this is the one where I’m fighting as a chief support, millions of people are going to be watching it, loads of top people are going to be there.
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Hide Ad“If I win this British belt then people will start to recognise me.
“I’ve only just turned 24, and in my 17th fight I’d be an English, Commonwealth and British champion and have challenged for the European.
“You don’t get too many kids who do that.
“I need to grab this opportunity with both hands.”