Wolverhampton heavyweight Hosea Stewart goes into battle against the auld enemy

Scott Murray, the head of Excelsior Sporting Club, has joined forces with Iain Wilson of the St Andrew’s Sporting Club to stage an international match on St Andrew’s Night, on November 30.

There will be four fights between English and Scottish fighters and the winning team will pick up The Ken Buchanan Cup.

Matchmaker Jon Pegg will put the finishing touches to the bill over the next few days having already made the top-of-the-bill fight, a clash between Stewart and Campbell.

Campbell is the Scottish heavyweight champion and has featured on Sky Sports, while Stewart has yet to show his best form in the professional ring.

As an amateur, Stewart won the Great Britain championship in 2017, but since making the switch to the paid ranks, he’s struggled with injuries, saying: “It’s been one thing after another.

“My manager wanted to pull me out of my last fight, but I’m a fighter and if I can breathe, I can fight.”

The fight with Campbell gives Stewart the chance to climb the rankings. “If I handle business, it will put me in the mix,” said the 26 year old from Parkfields, who believes he has the right man preparing him for the biggest fight of his career.

Stewart has linked up with Clifton Mitchell in Derby.

He fought for British and European heavyweight titles in his own ring career and has worked with Tyson Fury, Dillian Whyte and more as a coach.

Stewart said: “Because he was a heavyweight himself, Clifton knows how to push a heavyweight and he knows what the limits are.

“He hasn’t tried to change my style, but he’s told me: ‘You’re a big guy, so get in there and let them know you’re a big guy.’”

Stewart has been tipping the scales at around 24 stones and with Campbell usually weighing around 19 stones, there will be some big punches thrown.

Stewart has happy memories of boxing in the Premier Suite, winning his eighth amateur bout there, and added: “The last time I boxed the Scottish champion it went well.”

That was the 2017 Great Britain Championship final and Stewart beat Mitchell Barton on points.

“It was a masterclass,” said Stewart with a smile. “It was a class performance, I was on my toes popping out my jab.”

Stewart will be tuning in when Tyson Fury and Francis Ngannou clash in what’s billed as ‘The Battle of the Baddest’ in Saudi Arabia on Saturday night.

Campbell has been sparring Fury ahead of the 10-round fight against the former UFC heavyweight champion and Stewart says ‘The Gypsy King’ is fighting for his sport in Riyadh.

“It’s not going to look good for boxing if an MMA fighter can come over and beat the beat heavyweight in the world on his debut,” said Stewart.

“It is a banana skin for Tyson, but I think he will win comfortably. I hope so, for boxing’s sake.”