Undefeated Aberdeen welterweight Dean Sutherland will face Mexican Jose Antonio Delgado Velazquez this month for the WBO Youth title.
Sutherland will box Velazquez at Hamilton Academical’s New Douglas Park in an outdoor event broadcast live on Fightzone TV on Saturday July 31.
Boasting a flawless professional record of 10 wins from 10 fights, the 22-year-old hopes the WBO Youth welterweight title will be the first of many at international and world level.
Highly rated opponent Velazquez, 23, from Salamanca, Mexico, has 10 wins and one loss.
Sutherland, aka Deadly, hopes it is the title shot that will propel his career, and his reputation, onto the global stage.
He said: “The WBO Youth world title is a major belt and puts me in good stead not just for the British rankings but also world rankings.
“This is the level of major title I have been looking for as it is world recognised.
“Everyone knows the WBO and this fight is the stepping stone that I need to push my career.
“I am ready to go in there and get the belt.”
Sutherland’s first fight in 18 months
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the WBO Youth title bout will be Sutherland’s first fight since beating Basi Rasaq 59-56 at the Lagoon Leisure Centre, Paisley, on February 8 last year.
In contrast Velazquez has fought four times in the last nine months in Mexico, registering three victories and one defeat.
Velazquez fought just five weeks ago when registered a unanimous victory over Juan Carlos Ramirez Coronel in his home city of Salamanca on May 29.
Sutherland may not have fought for 18 months but he has used his time wisely and insists he is more than ready for the WBO Youth title showdown.
He said: “To take on a Mexican opponent in a first major international title having not fought in coming up for a year-and-a -half, there is a lot of pressure on it.
“You have to give anyone credit who faces a Mexican opponent.
“Especially after the success they have had in recent times and upsets they have caused when coming over to Britain.
“It has been a long, long time we have been in training.
“The date for this fight was pushed back to July 31 which meant it was an even longer training camp.
“However it gave me more time to prepare and also allows more people into the stadium to watch it.
“It has been a long process putting all the hard work in and I cannot wait to get back in the ring under the lights, perform to my best ability and win the title.”
‘My slick boxing will be too much for him’
Sutherland has already secured a title having defeated Ireland’s previously undefeated Keane McMahon 78-74 to claim the vacant BUI (Boxing Union of Ireland) Celtic welterweight belt at the Aberdeen Hilton Treetops in May 2019.
A multiple weight and division world kick-boxing champion before switching sports, Sutherland knows what it takes to secure titles.
He said: “I found footage of one of Valazquez’s recent fights.
“From what I have watched he likes to come forward, dipping low and wants to put the pressure onto opponents.
“I think Velazquez will fall into my hands and my slick boxing will be far too much for him and I will have a successful night picking up that belt.”
The WBO Youth title fight is Sutherland’s first bout since signing a deal with legendary promoter Dennis Hobson’s Fight Academy, with fights shown exclusively on Fightzone.
Hobson oversaw the rise to world title success of ring legends Ricky Hatton, David Haye and Clinton Wood.
Double title glory on the line
Northern Sporting Club’s Aberdeen-trained, undefeated Billy Stuart will also fight for the IBF Youth Super-Bantamweight title on the same bill on July 31.
Stuart, who has a record of 10 wins from 10 bouts, will face Mexican Alejandro Jair Gonzalez.
Sutherland said: “Myself and Billy are both fighting for World Youth titles with two different organisations.
“It is going to be a great photo of the two of us with the new belts around our shoulders.”
