Super welterweight George Davey has captured the Commonwealth Boxing Council’s International Championship title belt, anchoring a spectacular open-air Yorkshire show. The championship victory marked the pinnacle of an unforgettable event that saw the city's boxing community step into the spotlight on a grand stage. The night proved to be a dominant showcase for local sport, with five of the city’s other professional fighters racking up impressive wins.
Victory performances from Jack Marshall, Henri Cooper, Tommy Naismith, Nathan Shepherd, and newcomer Junaid Khan firmly cemented the outstanding range and depth of boxing talent brewing across the region.
Davey’s Title Triumph
Davey, 28, weighed in at 69kg and was declared winner when the referee stopped the contest at the start of the eighth of a scheduled ten rounds. His opponent, Nottinghamshire’s Jack Mantell, 34, was obliged to retire by the ringside doctor. The crowd at Batley Bulldogs stadium were treated to an exciting, exhilarating and on occasion brutal display of skill and courage from both fighters, with the York boxer proving relentless in landing powerful shots, establishing his total dominance of the match in the later rounds.
“Jack was a tough fighter determined to win,” said George. “However, I bided my time keeping the pressure up and wearing him down and got the win.”
Going by the moniker ‘G-Force,’ Davey has won eleven of fourteen paid contests. “I made my debut at Leeds Arena in 2019. This stadium contest has been both my longest fight to date and the biggest stage I’ve been on in Yorkshire since 2019. Boxing can be frustrating. I hadn’t competed in over a year and was technically inactive. Title fights got cancelled, opponents get injured in training or the show gets cancelled for whatever reason. You need a resilient mindset or you’d give up. The elation of winning outweighs all the negatives. There’s nothing better. If you wonder why we do it, there’s your answer. My ambition is now to compete at British and European level and I’m keen to see what comes next.”
Other York Boxers Shine
York’s lightweight fighter Jack Marshall was delighted to get his first stoppage win as he knocked opponent Essexman Kasey Bradnum down three times in the second round, forcing referee Mark Lyson to end the bout. “I’m delighted to have shown just how well I can box. A stoppage had been on the cards for some time.” However, Marshall also knows that announcing a bout doesn’t necessarily mean the contest happens. “I had six bouts in my first eighteen months but only two last year and this was my first in eight months. I’m proud to have shown that I’d not picked up ringrust, which all boxers dread.”
Former Millthorpe School student Henri Cooper turns nineteen shortly and hasn’t lost a single point in his four paid bouts as an eighteen-year-old. Those watching his Batley stadium bout with the experienced Jake Osgood were treated to another entertaining display of athleticism as Davey’s fellow super welterweight Cooper showed just how high his boxing IQ is as he followed up crafty feints with powerful, well-positioned combinations to keep Osgood on the back foot. Coach Henry Wharton had described Cooper’s debut last October as “one of the best I’ve ever seen.” Cooper himself is “delighted with a wonderful, amazing, fantastic debut year in paid ranks.” Four fights in and the young York fighter’s strong potential couldn’t be clearer.
York Boxing Club’s middleweight Tommy Naismith wants to be ‘the busiest boxer’ and two professional fights just three weeks apart marking his entry to the world of professional boxing aged 21 suggests that ambition is achievable. Sharing manager Spencer Brown with Tyson Fury and coached by Billy Wilson, Naismith started training aged seven and went on to win most of his 64 amateur fights while picking up numerous junior and youth titles. “I’m enjoying the longer bouts and I’m keen to build a fanbase. I sold a couple of hundred tickets for my debut in Hull. I promise York people I’ll remain a courageous and entertaining fighter as I climb the ranks.”
Also on the card were Nathan Shepherd and Junaid Khan. Shepherd won his twelfth professional bout as he defeated Leeds boxer Joe Hardy over four rounds, following his win over Josh Cook in their six-round encounter in Barnsley in April. Khan made an impressive debut as he scored full points in his defeat of Doncaster’s Sam Kirk.
Coach and Promoter Reactions
“I’m delighted with how the York boxers performed,” said Henry Wharton, who manages and coaches all except Naismith. “Jack Marshall has served his fight apprenticeship. We’ll be putting him forward for the titles he deserves but not pushing him. I’m particularly pleased for George who came to us from Lanzarote aged seventeen and who we’ve nurtured and seen develop. His commitment and dedication have led to achievement, and York people can be as proud of George and his fellow boxers as they are of York City football club. 2026 is proving a landmark year for sport in York.”
The Batley event was jointly organised by Leeds-based promoter Mark Bateson and York’s Henry Wharton. Bateson has “lost count of how many shows I’ve put on over 26 years, but this Batley event is my first outdoor show.” Wharton is “delighted with the stadium show which everyone enjoyed, making us renew efforts to locate a suitable venue for a similar event in York next year.”
Sponsorship and Future
Elite athletes require sponsorship. George Davey is “grateful for the ongoing support offered by Churchills Estate Agents, Suttle Transport, My Reset, Simon Baynes, J.S.Allison and Empire Pro Tape,” with Jack Marshall “thankful for the generous assistance offered by Coversure York, Hunter’s Wetherby, Gibson Canopies, Deans Construction and Empire Pro Tape.” Further potential sponsors should contact George by e-mail at George_davey@hotmail.com or via Instagram @georgedavey_97. Jack’s e-mail is Jackstan74@hotmail.com or @jmarshall_15 on Instagram.
