Two North East trained boxers are shooting for title glory in Newcastle at the end of the month as they look to blast a path onwards and upwards.
Robbie Colman and Gemma Richardson are headlining on the "Fright Night" pro bill on Saturday, October 31 at the Vertu Motors Arena, home base of the Newcastle Eagles.
Title fights at Vertu Motors Arena
Jarrow's Colman, who trains out of the Tyneside Boxing Club based in Wallsend, is chasing the Commonwealth Silver Super Featherweight crown against Merseyside's James Francis while Gemma challenges Canadian Carolyn Redmond for the vacant WBO International super-lightweight championship as a stepping stone towards an ambitious targeting of Katie Taylor's old world titles.
An absolute legend, Katie is the former three-time undisputed champion, having previously been the undisputed and undefeated lineal world lightweight champion from 2019 to 2024, before moving up and becoming the undisputed and lineal world super lightweight champion on two separate occasions between 2023 and 2026.
Richardson's rise and Colman's momentum
Richardson, who turned professional under England coach John Stubbs, was raised in Scunthorpe but now fights out of Hartlepool.
As an amateur she won the light-welterweight gold medal at the 2018 AIBA Youth World Championships, four European titles across junior, youth and under-22 competition, five English national titles, and a lightweight silver medal for England at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Her notable amateur victories included wins over future world champions Nune Asatryan and Jaismine Lamboria, future senior European champion Stefanie von Berge, and future world bronze medallist Manisha Moun.
Gemma turned pro in 2025 and has won her first five bouts including beating former European welterweight champion Kirstie Bavington in Birmingham last year which saw her catapulted to seventh in the world welter rankings by the WBA.
Robbie Colman heads into Fright Night after winning the Northern Area Lightweight title in a 10-round split decision over Josh Blenkiron earlier this year.
Undercard and promoter's promise
Newcastle's Alex Farrell is back after his 45-seconds first round knockout in August, up against El Jahiri, while Joe Hodgkinson will be making his breakout professional debut after a massively successful amateur career along with 2024 Olympian Adam Olaore.
Danny Inskip of Boss Promotions told me: "We're delighted to have two key title fights at the top of the bill plus a terrific undercard."
Farrell has a stunning record of 14 successive victories, seven by k.o, and is worth the entrance money alone.
"This is just the start in Newcastle. We'll be promoting shows here throughout 2027."
