Frank Maloney (left) and Mark Roe (right) at the Battle of Medway boxing show

by Luke Cawdell

Medway Park will host Kent’s first ever live televised professional boxing show after Sky TV gave the venue their approval on Wednesday morning.

The British light middleweight title fight between Sam Webb and Prince Arron will top the bill, while home fans will once more get a chance to see unbeaten heavyweight Tom Dallas, as he steps up to an eight-round bout for the first
time.

Boxing promoter Frank Maloney will be putting on the show which will be screened live on Sky Sports on May 13.

Mr Maloney said: “It’s going to be a big night of boxing and the first time that the area has staged a British title fight.

“We’re hoping that if this is successful it will give us a base to build on for Tom Dallas (pictured right) and we’re hoping that the whole of Gillingham and Medway get behind him.”

Professional boxing returned to Medway for the first time since 1997 when Mark Roe and Simon Williamson promoted March 18’s Battle of Medway event.

Mr Maloney was in the crowd that night and liked what he saw.

“We’re coming to Medway because of what Mark Roe did and hopefully we can now take it on to another level,” he said.

“This is going to be great for the area, which will be profiled on national television, and great for local businesses as a lot of people will be coming into the Towns.

“We’ve laid out for 1,800 people and it’s great for us to have a base in Kent.”

Mr Maloney’s offices are based in Chislehurst and he regularly puts live boxing shows on across the country.

Seats for the show will be on sale at £30 and £65 and fight fans will also get the chance to see Swanley’s Martin Welsh in action. He will be fighting Brian Rose for the English middleweight title.

Lewis Pettitt, from Erith, will also be fighting on the bill.