Sid Bowater to take on a former champion

Bowater engages in his third professional bout at Aston Villa Football Club's Holte Suite on Friday October 21,

The 26-year-old boxes in Birmingham for the first time as a pro, featuring on a show promoted by Tommy Owens.

He's been paired with grizzled veteran Kevin McCauley, from Stourbridge, who was the area welterweight champion in 2010.

Bowater has been signed to a one-year management deal with Kellie Maloney and this is his first run-out since they joined forces.

His start to paid life saw him outpoint Ali Wyatt on his debut in April 2015, before a peach of a right hand bell flattened Dwayne Sheldon during the first round of his second outing.

Seven months have passed since then and Bowater is determined to get busy, having made a number of changes as he chases his ambitions.

He said: "At the beginning of your career, you are capable of fighting every couple of months and that's what I need to be doing.

"It's a quick career and being 26 isn't really all that young. I don't want muppets, either, I want to be tested so that I can climb up the ladder quickly.

"Hopefully, joining up with Kellie can help to make that happen. She's got me a fight straight away and I need to get in there and do the business now.

"I'm a confident boxer, I'm a strong welter who can hit and I believe I've got the ability to get to British title level."

Bowater has also taken his father, Ken, as his main coach and does the bulk of training at Wolverhampton Boxing Club, where he learned his craft as an amateur.

Sid said: "Dad taught me how to box from the age of 11 and there's no-one who deserves to be in my corner more than him.

"There's been world champions who have had father-son training relationships like Richie Woodhall, Joe Calzaghe, Floyd Mayweather Jnr and Danny Garcia, so it can work."

Tickets are still available priced at £35, £50 with a buffet and £60 including table service. To buy from Sid, call 07856 697 997.