Northampton boxer Ben Fail aiming to end 2024 on a high in London

The 27-year-old takes on Costa Rican Jose Aguirre over eight rounds at The Brewery venue in the City of London, with the fight part of an annual charity fund-raising event hosted by Queensberry Promotions boss Frank Warren.

The DEBRA Fight Night has been a yearly event for the past 19 years, and in 2023 the evening saw £180,000 raised to help provide support for people living with the rare and extremely painful skin condition, epidermolysis bullosa (EB), also known as ‘Butterfly Skin’.

Fail says he is extremely proud to have been asked to be part of the evening's main event, the professional boxing, and his middleweight clash with Aguirre is the top of the four-fight bill.

Aguirre is a late replacement to take on Fail, with his original opponent pulling out last week, and he will step into the ring on a run of six defeats, the latest of which was two weeks ago against another unbeaten fighter in Frankie Davey at the York Hall in Bethnel Green.

Fail on the other hand goes into the fight having won all seven of his professional bouts to date, with his most recent win on points against Omir Rodriguez in August, and he is confident he can maintain that 100 per cent record against his 35-year-old opponent.

"You have to be ready for these things, and I am looking forward to it," said Fail.

"I watched Aguirre's fight the other week and is just a tough fighter, he comes forward, he is tough, and you know you have a hard man in front of you to knockout.

"But I will go in there with the same mentality and attitude, I am going to go in there and box to break him down and then go for the stoppage.

"It is also part of a great event that Frank Warren does once a year for charity, raising money for a great cause, and I feel honoured to be part of such a big event."

Friday's fight will be Fail's fourth in the space of the past 12 months, and his third since May.

And the former Far Cotton amateur is pleased with how busy he has been, and how his his career is progressing.

"My contract runs from March to March, so if I can get five fights in by next March then that is my year and I am happy with that and I am happy with how it's going," he said.

"It has been a busy year for me, and a successful one as well.

"I have had a few good learning fights, a few good knockouts and I did get an eight-rounder in as well. It has been productive."

Fail revealed that his twin brother Carl is also close to making a comeback, having not fought since beating Angel Petkov Emilov on points in October last year - his 10th win out of 10 as a pro.

"Carl is going to be making his comeback after sitting this year out with a few problems," said Ben.

"He is looking strong and he has been training hard, so we are both looking for title fights early next year, that is the plan."