‘Quiet Man’ Steven Ward to fight Ultimate Boxxer winner in British title eliminator

Steven Ward [13(4)-1(1)] is one win away from a coveted British title shot.

‘The Quiet Man’ has been handed a British title eliminator and will fight for the right to challenge for the vacant cruiserweight version of the Lonsdale belt next time out.

The British Boxing Board of Contol have ordered a final eliminator between the 31-year-old and Mikael Lawal [13(7)-0].

When and where the fight will take place remains to be seen. Both camps have been given until August 11 to agree terms, if a deal can’t be struck the fight will go purse bids.

Ward was initially mandated to fight Jack Massey in an eliminator and was set to face the former domestic title challenger on a Frank Warren show.

However, ‘One Smack’ withdrew meaning Lawal now stands between Ward and a British title fight.

The BBBofC circular read: “Following the withdrawal of Jack Massey, the Stewards decided to put out the above eliminator contest to Purse bids to be submitted in accordance with the Terms and Conditions to the Board’s Head Office by 12:00noon on Wednesday, 11th August 2021, the contest to take place by the end of December 2021.”

Lagos-born London-based Lawal is unbeaten in 13 fights, has seven knockouts to his name and is an Ultimate Boxxer winner.

Ward was last seen in the ring in an exhibition bout with former Strong Man and Game of Thrones star Hafthor ‘Thor’ Bjornsson and was set to fight Kazakh ‘phenom’ Kamshybek Kunkabayev in February in Dubai but that fight fell through.

The Newtownabbey resident has been handed domestic duty next and has been given a clear pathway to British title success.

Interestingly enough if Ward comes through the eliminator he will be mandatory for the winner of Tommy McCarthy and Chris Billam Smith’s Fight Camp clash.

Although if McCarthy wins the bad blood match-up and adds the British and Commonwealth straps to the European title he already owns he will most likely move to world level and vacate.