Fowler and Harper clash on undercard of Harper-Jonas world title fight
BBN writer Kalvin Bassi previews Friday's Fowler-Harper fight in full:
Liverpool-based boxer Anthony Fowler (12-1, 9 KOs) will face off with ex-English champion Adam Harper (9-1) in the Matchroom boxing’s Fight Camp Week 2.
The 10-round super-welterweight contest will the place at Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing HQ in Brentwood, Essex on Friday, August 7.
The contest is on the undercard of the main event of Terri Harper’s WBC and IBO super-featherweight title defence against Natasha Jonas.
Former Olympian Fowler has the majority vote of confidence from fans that he will succeed, as the betting odds for the Rio 2016 competitor is 1/20, compared to Harper’s 14/1.
‘The Machine’, 29 from Liverpool, has an impressive record of 202 wins and 20 defeats over amateur and pro, with many major scalps such as Vijender Singh, Tommy Langford, and Kieran Smith.
Unfortunately, Fowler’s Olympic dream was shattered in Rio as he was floored in the second and lost all three rounds to middleweight beast Zhanibek Alimkhanuly of Kazakhstan.
After turning pro in 2017, he has racked up a KO ratio of 69%, with nine of his 12 wins coming by way of stoppage.
His last outing was against the overmatched Ghanaian super-welterweight Theophilus Tetteh (19-8-2) back in March, just weeks before lockdown arrived. He looked relaxed yet determined, while dominating Tetteh, who has previously won a WBO African title in 2013, which set up a meeting with John Ryder in 2014 but ended in defeat for the Ghanaian in five rounds.
Fowler maintained control of the centre of the ring with a relaxed guard, jabbing away and picking off the Accra boxer to eventually drop him to the canvas a whopping four times, which ultimately led to referee Bob Williams calling off the one-sided contest at the end of the opening round.
The Liverpool boxer’s first and only professional loss was at the hands of bitter rival Scott Fitzgerald (14-0, 9KOs) at the Echo Arena, back in October, for the vacant WBA International super-welterweight title. Preston’s Fitzgerald managed to absorb Fowler’s best shots and proceeded to come on strong towards the latter part of the 10-round championship contest, culminating in a knockdown in the final round, courtesy of a crushing left hook.
The Merseysider, who counts footballer Robbie Fowler as his cousin, has since bounced back with three wins on the spin, collecting the WBO Inter-Continental super-welterweight title, as well as the WBA International on his second attempt, which placed him in the world's top 15 with the World Boxing Association.
Tewkesbury’s formerly-retired Harper admitted to hounding Eddie Hearn for this fight, so he has got what he wished for.
“Thank you, Eddie, for not getting an injunction against me,” he joked during final press conference ahead of Friday’s showdown.
Harper is a former Midlands and English super-welterweight champion, who was forced to retire in April 2019 after failing a mandatory brain scan. He has since undergone cognitive testing and been passed by medical experts to be able to continue boxing once again.
The qualified teacher, part of Errol Johnson’s BCB stable, made his professional debut on October 24, 2014 against Edgars Sniedze and won by unanimous decision.
In his last three fights, he defeated unbeaten Ryan Kelly (8-0) to claim the Midlands Area super-welterweight title; then he flew to Melbourne to face Michael Zerafa (22-2) for the vacant Commonwealth super-welterweight title but was outpointed widely; his final fight was his best achievement yet, as he decisioned Braintree’s Billy Bird (18-1) in his own backyard in Essex to claim the English crown.
This should be an interesting match, as Harper has rightly pointed out that he and Fowler are “Not that different from each other”.
They both share a doggedness and determination in fights, each possessing a good engine with high work rates.
Fowler will likely win the battle of the jabs, with his longer reach and bigger size plying to his advantage.
His style is to maintain the distance with his jab, keeping the opponent at bay, whilst always marching forward to land copiously. His noteworthy attributes are his speed and power, and of course his educated, experienced, schooled style, with such an extensive pedigree behind him.
Harper’s ‘bulldog toughness’ will either be his best bet or his undoing. He has never been stopped and can walk through adversity to get the win, proven during his English title won over home fighter Bird back in 2018.
Contrary to this, and unlike Fowler, he is tight-guarded, and keeps his hands held high throughout the whole fight.
Fowler is the bigger man in this contest at 5’11, compared to Harper’s 5’9 height, and has a boxing background that is largely unrivalled.
Now trained by Shane McGuigan, Fowler plans to be smart and pick his shots well. He has acknowledged his opponent’s toughness, tenacity, and persistence. He also recognises Harper’s ambition, calling for the fight repeatedly and aiming to replace Fowler’s big name and profile with his own. It’s his cup final match and it’s all to play for.
Harper’s game plan is to bring the pressure and inevitably walk through hell to get what he so badly wants.
Fowler also stated that he is looking to put on a brutal display, which is what is likely to happen here. Harper will surely take some of the biggest shots of his life in this step-up fight, but whether ‘The Machine’ will be able to take him out completely is the million dollar question.
Fowler-Harper takes place on the undercard of Harper vs. Jonas, which tops Week 2 of Matchroom's Fight Camp series.
Bournemouth’s Chris Billam-Smith (10-1, 9 KOs) defends his Commonwealth Cruiserweight Title against undefeated Cardiff man Nathan Thorley (14-0, 6 KOs), Oldham prospect Aqib Fiaz (5-0) steps up against Birmingham’s former Midlands Area Champion Kane Baker (13-6) and Leeds Featherweight prospect Hopey Price (2-0) takes on Jonny Phillips (5-4, 2 KOs).
HÖRFA are proud sponsors of British Boxing News