After a drab last outing, Harlem Eubank returns to the ring this Friday night at the Brighton Centre, as he takes a welterweight ten-rounder against Josh Wagner in the main event of the evening.
Wasserman promote Eubank vs Wagner and Channel 5 televise live in the UK.
Eubank (21-1, KO9) had slowly built an unbeaten record, and after a tough to watch eight-round points win against Nurali Erdogan at the back end of 2024, Eubank started 2025 in style, as he dropped Tyrone McKenna three times en route to a tenth-round stoppage win that won him the vacant IBF Intercontinental title.
That win led to a meeting with Jack Catterall in July in Manchester, but with a possible world title shot on the line, the pair’s styles didn’t gel, and Eubank lost for the first time, with a head clash ruling Catterall out, and he won via technical decision.
Canada’s Wagner (19-1, KO10) will start the rebuild for Eubank, with the Ontario native a safe bet for a comeback.
After three wins in 2023, Wagner lost for the first time in November last year, where he was knocked out in seven in France by David Papot for the IBF International and WBO Global straps.
Wagner returned over six rounds in May, stopping Juvenal Herrera inside a round in Columbia.
Prediction: Eubank can get back to winning ways here, and look good doing it by stopping Wagner inside the first half of the contest.
Niall Brown vs Darren Johnstone
The undercard is a threadbare one.
A ten-rounder heads it, and Niall Brown (16-0, KO6) heads it as he vies for the vacant IBO European super middleweight title against Darren Johnstone (12-1, KO3).
Brown has never been past eight rounds, and completed that distance for the first time in June, outscoring Matt McCallum in Newcastle.
He was last out in July, retiring Victor Ionascu after four rounds. Johnstone has won four on the spin since being knocked out in five by Mark Jeffers last May, his last win a points success over six against Harry Matthews in Glasgow at the end of last month.
Prediction: Brown can become the new champion with a clear points win.
Remaining undercard
In eight rounders, Matty Harris (9-1, KO6) can win his fifth fight on the spin, and his first over this distance, with a stoppage win against Franklin Ignatius (9-1-1, KO1) at heavyweight, and Kieran Molloy (12-0, KO7) should stay unbeaten with a points win against Zeuz Varguez Soberanis (11-5, KO5) at welterweight.
Cruiserweight prospect Lucas Roehrig (6-0, KO3) can step up to this level with a stoppage success against France’s Brice Clavier (13-6-1, KO7), and at super featherweight, Codie Smith (7-0-1, KO0) can do the same against Franco Andres Cajal (7-5-1, KO2).
The sole six-rounder is at heavyweight, where Harvey Dykes (6-0-1, KO0) can emerge with a points win against Ben Vickers (2-0, KO1).
In four-round action, Yuvraj Karia (7-0, KO4) can halt Brandon Gallardo Vargas (3-10-1, KO1) at bantamweight, and Younes Baati (3-0, KO3) may need the distance for the first time to see off Ezequiel Gregores (3-27, KO0).
Debutant Saqib Mehmood should start with a points win against Jayro Fernando Duran (15-41-1, KO14) at lightweight.
