All on the line in a lion’s den for Gill

Jordan ‘The Thrill’ Gill is happy to go back into the lion's den to keep alive his dream of a world title fight.

Gill’s one fight of 2023 was a dramatic stoppage win over home favourite Michael Conlan in front of a raucous Belfast crowd.

And now the 29 year-old avid Posh fan from Chatteris is again taking on a quality fighter in front of his home crowd when tackling Zelfa Barrett in a top of the bill showdown at the AO Arena in Manchester on Saturday.

The bout is seen as a super featherweight world title eliminator with Welshman Joe Cordina, the IBF world champion, apparently interested in taking on the winner.

"I see this fight as a semifinal,” Gill said. “It’s two fighters at similar stages of their career who have world title aspirations so it should be a good one.

"I had one fight in 2023 and it turned out to be very enjoyable. I knew I had to win that fight to continue my progress to where I want to go and it’s the same with the fight with Zelfa.

"It will be a tough fight, but there is no point in avoiding it as it will take one of us

into a bigger fight. Like with the Conlan fight it’s all on the line for me again and I’m happy to be going back into a lion’s den. He will have more support, but the fans can’t fight for him.

"I’m expecting Zelfa to be on his A game, but he will find a stronger, better, sharper

and more intelligent fighter in front of him.

"I took a risk fighting Conlan as I’d been staring into an abyss after losing my previous fight.

"But I was rewarded with a win and a place back in the spotlight and I want to stay there. Your career trajectory

changes after every fight so I will need to be sharp and focused.”

Gill and Barrett appear well matched.

Barrett is a year older with 32 wins, 16 by knockout, and two defeats on his record. He’s a former Commonwealth and European

champion who fought for an IBF World title in 2022 when he was beaten by Shavkat Rakhimov.

Gill has won 28 of his 31 professional bouts and lost two with one draw.

He is also a former Commonwealth and European champion.

Jordan Gill has knocked Michael Conlan down during his last fight in Belfast. Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images.