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Brad Pauls wants a world title fight against Erislandy Lara after becoming British middleweight champion
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Published 29/07/2024 at 14:52 GMT+1
Brad Pauls took the British and WBA continental middleweight boxing titles with victory against Nathan Heaney and he now his sights set on a world title showdown with Erislandy Lara after earning a top 15 world ranking with the WBA. A rematch with Heaney is also a possibility, as are clashes with Janibek Alimkhanuly or Denzel Bentley.
Highlights as Pauls knocks out Heaney in final round to win British title
Video credit: TNT Sports
British middleweight champion Brad Pauls is looking to add a world title to his name after beating Nathan Heaney.
Pauls and Heaney fought in March 2024 in one of the fights of the year, and they ran it back two weekends ago, live on TNT Sports, with the British title at stake.
The 31-year-old also landed the WBA continental belt at the same time, and while a trilogy rematch has been mooted, Pauls would prefer to aim for a more high-profile bout.
The WBA have him in their top 15, allowing the governing body to sanction a title fight against the current champion, Erislandy Lara. Now 41, it might be the best time to fight the experienced fighter.
Speaking to BoxingScene, Pauls said he is keen for a shot at the Cuban-American veteran.
“I’ve got the British title in a stacked division and at the same time I’ve got the world ranking now with the WBA,” he said.Â
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'I will fight anyone' - Pauls aiming high after beating Heaney to win the British title
Video credit: TNT Sports
“I could get a call up for Lara – stranger things have happened; it could be the right timing.Â
"[A shot at a world title] would mean everything to me. That would be overachieving for me, but a shot I’d be willing to take.
“Not a fight I’d turn down and if that opportunity presented itself, I’d take it with both hands. Stranger things have happened, imagine the world title down in Cornwall. I’ll have to get on to my manager about that one and see what we can do!”
Former champion Heaney was ranked at No. 5 with the WBO, which might see a way through for Pauls to challenge their champion, Janibek Alimkhanuly, who also holds the IBF strap.
“Janibek, if he wanted a night in Vegas or something like that, I wouldn’t say no,” Pauls continued. “Sounds a bit crazy but we will get a few Cornish out in Vegas, it would be an interesting one, [Denzel] Bentley [did] it and went out there.
"If not that, a nice big domestic fight. I’m a man of my word, I would honour the rematch with Heaney, and if not there’s a million good names out there.”
One of those names Pauls speaks of could well be Bentley, with the former British champion one of the middleweights also promoted by Frank Warren.
The pair know each other well after previously sparring together and Pauls knows it would be a huge challenge.
"Denzel [Bentley] is a brilliant fighter, his gym is near our gym, and I’ve sparred him a few times. He boxed my stablemate Linus [Udofia], close fight but he got the victory.
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“Denzel is one of the toughest fights in the country for anyone, he went the distance with Janibek. There’s no easy fights for the British title and Bentley would be another tough fight.
“No one got massively the better of anyone else [in sparring]. There’s no sort of wars like that in the Peacock gym, they’re all kind of technical and good sparring. I’m not saying I smashed up Denzel, I wouldn’t say he smashed up me, just good work. I sparred him a few times.”
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