The fight will be on the undercard of the heavyweight showdown between Moses Itauma and Filip Hrgovic in August
Constantin Ursu (left) in action against Ryan Amos(Image: George Tewkesbury/Top Tier Boxing)
PLYMOUTH’S ‘Moldovan monster’ Constantin Ursu is expected to make a first defence of his British welterweight title on the undercard of the heavyweight showdown between Moses Itauma and Filip Hrgovic on Saturday, August 8, PlymouthLive can exclusively reveal.
Ursu became the city’s first British champion in over 20 years when he beat Owen Cooper in February this year, with Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions signing him in the immediate aftermath.
Ursu’s first defence of his title now looks likely to be on another Queensberry show, topped by the heavyweight clash between Itauma and expected challenger Hrgovic.
The show has been scheduled for August 8, and now looks likely to take place in Manchester, having initially been pencilled in for London’s O2 Arena.
Constantin Ursu defeated Owen Cooper in Derby Photo Credit: Queensberry/Leigh Dawney(Image: Plymouth Herald)
Ursu’s opponent is yet to be revealed, with his team in talks with a number of potential rivals, but it is expected that his British and Commonwealth titles will be on the line.
As it is a voluntary defence, there is no mandatory challenger, but the likes of Cyrus Pattinson or Ben Vaughan are believed to be among potential opponents.
Ursu’s trainer Marlee Dann said some potential challengers for the British strap appear to be shying away from the fight as they see the Plymouth as too much of a risk.
Dann said: “Constantin is going to be fighting on the undercard of Moses Itauma, August 8.
“The opponent has not been confirmed – there have been names put into the hat, but sadly the people that have been asked if they would fight aren’t taking the fight.
“People see it not as a golden opportunity but as a career-altering opportunity.”
He added: “It will more than likely be a defence of the British and Commonwealth.”
Ursu and his team are assessing their next moves carefully, but their first priority is winning the British title outright with three successful defences, which is rewarded with the Lonsdale Belt.
Dann said: “Our motives at the moment is to win the British title outright – if there are three people in the country who will fight him for the British title that would be nice.
“So that would be three fights which are obligated with Queensberry, then we would get the Lonsdale outright.
“At the end of the day there are some nice domestic fights there for us; there are some people there like Cyrus Pattinson, Ben Vaughan and Elliot Whale that we can fight.
“They would be respected fighters and Constantin can go out there, improve his record and get good experience against these people, and then after three fights, the world is his oyster.”
Constantin Ursu (left) celebrates after winning the WBO European & Commonwealth Welterweight titles(Image: George Tewkesbury/Top Tier Boxing)
Securing a suitable match for the first defence has been difficult, though, with some opponents unwilling to risk fighting unbeaten Ursu.
But Dann said: “That is how boxing goes, you have to avoid the right people at the right time.”
In terms of potentially staging a fight in Devon, it could be that Ursu’s hopes may depend on another South West champion – Brad Pauls.
Pauls, dubbed the Newquay Bomb, dramatically won the IBF International Middleweight title at the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester in March, turning around a potential defeat by knocking down Shakiel Thompson twice in the ninth of a 10-round clash.
Pauls is now scheduled to defend the IBF strap in Southampton next month, which could potentially pave the way for a show in Devon or Cornwall featuring both South West champions on a Queensberry card.
But Dann said: “At the moment the only focus with Queensberry is getting him [Constantin] on the undercard of Moses Itauma, and that is what they have been focused on.”