Brace sets sights on title in Cardiff bout
UNDEFEATED Welsh boxer Ashley Brace has her sights on the European super-flyweight title when she tops the bill against Germany’s Xenia Jorneac at Ice Arena Wales in Cardiff tonight.
The Ebbw Vale fighter’s last bout ended in a draw against Melania Sorroche at bantamweight, but she feels boxing at the higher weight put her at a disadvantage.
“When I boxed Melania it was a great contest, but I didn’t feel at my best, she was much stronger than I thought,” said Brace.
“Moving down to super-flyweight will give me a big advantage in size and strength. I know that with the team around me I will be fighting for world titles very soon and beating Xenia will put me in the perfect position to do so.”
Jorneac is a tricky southpaw, originally from Romania, but she has boxed her entire professional career in Germany. She has eight wins on her record against two defeats.
At yesterday’s weigh-in, Brace had a slight advantage, coming in at 115lbs to Jorneac’s 113.8lbs.
Former British title challenger Liam Williams returns in a homecoming contest against Armenian Anatoli Humanyan in the chief support contest.
Craig Kennedy faces another tough test in his return bout against undefeated Latvian puncher Nikolajs Grisunins. Kennedy returns to the ring for the first time since his unsuccessful British title challenge against Matty Askin.
Newly-crowned Welsh light heavyweight champion Nathan Thorley will face Yorkshire hardman Adam Jones after the withdrawal of Ghanaian Charles Adamu, while Pontypool’s Kieran Gething squares off with former Commonwealth champion Bradley Pryce in a crossroads contest for both fighters.
Pryce is seen as a potential banana skin for Gething, who has ambitions of capturing the Welsh title this year.
Olympic Silver medallist Fred Evans boxes the durable William Warburton, while Welsh champion Gavin Gwynne takes on tough journeyman Dean Evans and Jacob Robinson, the son of former World champion Steve Robinson, appears in his second contest after a stunning knock-out victory in his debut.
Completing the line-up is Kristian Touze, who will box Alec Bazza and Cardiff’s Lotty Quryshi, who makes his debut against Casey Blair.
Tickets are available on the door and are priced at £60 & £50 ringside, £30 unreserved seating. Under 16s £10, accompanied by an adult.
The Brace fight is scheduled to be televised by S4C from 8.45pm tonight.