While the eyes of the boxing world will be on Sheffield man Kell Brook's world title defence tomorrow night, hundreds of fans from across South Yorkshire in Barnsley will attend to watch two fighters with connections to the town battle for the English title.
Andy Townend, who lives in Shafton, is set to defend his super featherweight belt against Barnsley-born Craig Poxton in front of the Sky cameras on a bill at the Sheffield Arena which also features Olympic champion Luke Campbell. Poxton grew up in Grimethorpe until moving as a nine-year-old to Lowestoft. He recently spent a year living in Great Houghton and returns to Barnsley regularly to visit his brother, sister and father.
He said: "The fight is for the English title but the biggest prize is to be the cock of Barnsley, and particularly the Grimethorpe, Cudworth, Shafton area where we are both from. This is the kind of fight I have dreamed of since I was a kid. I have more than 100 fans coming, from Lowestoft and from Grimethorpe, Cudworth and Thurnscoe.
"I still consider myself a Barnsley lad. They say the Grimethorpe accent is the strongest in South Yorkshire and I still have quite a strong accent. Down in Lowestoft I get called a northerner but in Barnsley I get called a southerner.
"They called me 'Barnsley' when I first went to the gym down in Suffolk because I used to wear my Barnsley Football Club shirt and socks. I still keep an eye out for their results."
Poxton, 27, lost two of his first three professional fights but has since won eight out of nine with the only recent defeat being against George Jupp who fought for the world title this month. He said: "Andy Townend is a nice kid and a good fighter. He knows my brother and some of my cousins. But this is business and I am going for his title. It's an honour and a privilege to box on such a good bill."
While Poxton moved from Barnsley to Lowestoft as a child, Townend has made the opposite journey as he was born in another Suffolk town, Newmarket, before his family came up north three years later.
"We've swapped places in terms of where we live," said Townend, 26, who is on an eight-fight winning streak and has won 15 of his 18 in total.
"Hopefully us two Barnsley lads can put on a show and outshine all the other big names on the card. Poxton is very strong, he comes forward and he's game. It should be an entertaining fight.
"It's a big card and a great venue. Being on TV makes it even more exciting. I want to get my name out there and get Barnsley out there so fighting someone else from the town on such a big event will be great.
"I am a big supporter of Barnsley boxing, I was at the Metrodome last weekend to see the other fighters all win which was brilliant. I would love to fight for bigger titles in the future but Poxton is in my way and I'm focused on him at the moment."
