Kieron Conway gearing up for ‘special’ night as he targets British title glory

The Team Shoe-Box fighter takes on his Welsh opponent at the Copper Box Arena at London's Olympic Park, and Conway has his sights set on creating a bit of Northants sporting history.

The 29-year-old is aiming to become the first Northamptonian to claim the Lonsdale belt at middleweight, and the first to claim a British title while still living in his home town.

The only other town boxer to land a British title was Ash Lane at bantamweight in 2024, but by then he was based in Bristol, so Conway knows what an achievement claiming the crown would be.

He came so close to landing the British super welterweight belt back in 2019, drawing his showdown with champion Ted Cheeseman at York Hall in Bethnel Green, and he is determined to take a second chance he has had to wait six years for.

"It is really important for me to get hold of this title, being the second time coming as well with me falling short against Ted Cheeseman in that draw all those years ago," said Conway, who will also be defending his Commonwealth title at the weekend.

"It is good to be back fighting for this British title, and it is one that I want, and have wanted, for a long time.

"It doesn't happen in my town, so it would be good to take it back to my town.

"I am hugely confident coming into this one, I have had a great training camp, and I am genuinely just ready to go."

One of the main reasons Conway has missed out on until now on another crack at a British has been the fact he has enjoyed something a globetrotting career, taking on challenge after challenge offered to him, whether it be in the UK, in America or Japan.

But his full focus is now on domestic matters, and improving on an impressive professional record that reads 22 wins, one draw, and just three defeats.

"My career has been mental to be honest, some of the stuff I have been around and seen would seem unrealistic," said Conway, who was last in action in November, claiming his Commonwealth title with a points win over Birmingham's Ryan Kelly.

"The experiences I have gained have been phenomenal, but this one is special, being for the British title and I am just really looking forward to getting it on on Saturday.

"I need to take this title back to Northampton, and this is a fight in my opinion that I need to win convincingly."

Conway goes into the fight with a pro record of 22 wins, three defeats and one draw, while Welshman Warburton, who is also 29, has won 15, lost one and drawn twice.

Former Kings Heath amateur Conway, nicknamed 'Too Class', is on a run of four wins, and hasn't been beaten since losing on points to the highly-rated American Austin ‘Ammo’ Williams in Las Vegas in 2022.

His only defeat on home soil came back in 2019 when he was beaten in a three-round contest by Derrick Osaze in a Box-Pro tournament in London.

Saturday’s contest will be the first Warburton has fought over 12 rounds, and Conway has a massive advantage in terms of big-fight experience, and rounds under the belt.

Warburton, nicknamed the Bread Maker, has only gone 10 rounds three times in his career and has never fought for a title, while Conway has already been involved in three 12-round title fights – with two going the distance – as well as going the 10-round distance six times before.

Warburton is unbeaten in his past eight bouts and hasn’t lost since 2021, and he is also in confident mood ahead of the big fight.

"This is what I have worked for all my life since I walked into a boxing gym when I was 14. This is a big moment for me," said the Welshman. "Come Saturday, I will become the British and Commonwealth champion.

"Kieron Conway is a good boxer and he has had some really good fights, but I do believe I have got what it takes to beat him on Saturday.

"I am hungry, I never turn down a fight, and I have always been there to prove people wrong.

"People thought I wouldn't get past certain opposition and I have done it, and that has got me to the spot I am in now. I can't lose on Saturday, I have got to win."

Conway’s clash with Warburton is on the undercard of the undercard of the all-British heavyweight rematch between Johnny Fisher and Dave Allen.

The action is being shown live on DAZN on Saturday, with the coverage starting at 7pm.