GBM weigh up Sheffield return for KO king
Sheffield's GBM Sports promoters are laying plans for another homecoming show and there may be a place on it for the city's top middleweight.
Shakiel Thompson's face is featured on a poster advertising a show at the Canon Arena on Saturday, September 27.
His spot on the event has not been confirmed, though, and the bill is headed by Sean McComb, who is a challenger for the IBF European Super-Lightweight Championship against Ben Crocker.
Shak is not chief support either.
GBM says the show's main support act pits together reigning British and Commonwealth super-bantamweight champion Tysie Gallagher against undefeated South Yorkshire challenger Ellie Hellewell.
Luton's Gallagher had been scheduled to fight Sheffield-based Ebonie Jones in May, but Ebonie failed to make weight.
Gallagher has been frustrated by a year out of the ring and is focused on being GBM's first world champion.
Other home fighters expected on the forthcoming card are Doncaster pair Reece Mould and Ed Hardy, Rotherham's Taz Nadeem, along with Amaar Akbar, Harry Powell, and Harris Akbar.
Thompson's potential inclusion as the only Sheffielder on the show would be a welcome one.
He is looking for his 15th straight win, and has only boxed four rounds since last September.
The IBF European and WBO Global champion is described by Manor Boxing Academy as Britain's best middleweight bar none.
Boxrec put him fourth nationally, behind Chris Eubank Jr, Liam Smith and Kieron Conway and rates him as 29th candidate in the world rankings.
While the uncertainty will pass soon, GBM boss Izzy Asif says he is looking forward to another sold-out visit to the Arena.
“This is our sixth visit to what’s become our home arena in our home city and each event has been better than the last.
"I’m expecting fireworks from this one and another sold-out crowd. Sean McComb is a world champion in waiting, and sparks will fly with (McComb's opponent Ben) Crocker.
"Gradus Kraus (power-punching Dutch light-heavyweight prodigy) is simply dynamite; you have to see it to believe it. We’ve got a great night lined up for arena fans and DAZN viewers around the world.”