Big-time boxing on it’s way back to Hartlepool Borough Hall

Hartlepool’s iconic venue “will be rocking” on Friday, May 8 when Phil Jeffries promotes the town’s Cope brothers, Peter and Daniel.

Peter is in line for a title fight, while Daniel could face a re-match with rival Tom Whitfield who inflicted his first pro defeat on Sunday with the pair possibly meeting over 10 rounds for the Northern Area championship.

“The Copes have been pestering me for ages to come back to the Borough Hall, pestering me in a nice way I must add,” Jeffries told SportMail.

“They have shown great loyalty to me by fighting on my shows when they could have fought on other promotions.

“Now, it’s my turn to show loyalty to them.

“They have great fans, this is an incredible venue and it will be rocking on May 8.

“I was buzzing after my show on Sunday and I was down yesterday to book the Borough Hall.

“I will be working in association with Dave Garside and Neil Fannan, who have put on some fabulous shows at the Borough Hall.

“It will be a great show but I think the real winners will be the fans.

“We’ll start work on the bill this week. I’m buzzing.”

Garside told SportMail it was an easy decision to get involved with the venture.

“I’m very happy to be part of it,” said the man who managed and promoted town legend Michael Hunter’s rise to the top. “Hartlepool is a great boxing town and this is going to be a fantastic show.

“We had some great times at the Borough Hall, not just with Michael, but Kevin Bennett and others.

“It seems like yesterday when they were winning their titles there but it’s been 10 years.

“But Hartlepool has new stars to watch.

“The Copes are doing very well for themselves which is good for the town and two boxers I manage, the Wards, will be on the show.

“I watch Daniel Cope on Sunday and I like what I saw – he’s got potential.

“That was only his third fight and he’s got things to work on but I think he can beat that kid he lost to.”

It is an exciting time for the Copes and the Gus Robinson Developments gym.

And the same goes for the Neil Fannan camp across town where the Ward brothers both look to be going places with title chances looming.

Martin, the elder sibling, is set for a British super-bantamweight eliminator with Kent’s Lewis Pettitt while Tommy, up a division at feather, has reeled off 13 straight wins.

“Tommy was fantastic on Sunday,” said Garside, a former British and European contender at heavyweight abd cruiser.

“He is only 20 but the skills he has are phenomenal

“Hartlepool fans will love watching him box here for the first time.

”Martin looked great too on Sunday.

“I thought he was a bit unlucky not to win more at bantamweight but he looks so much stronnger at super-bantam.

“He’s coming into his prime at a similar age and stage of his career as Michael Hunter did.”