Brad Pauls eyes British middleweight title in Nathan Heaney rematch

Brad Pauls says he is ready to make history and become Cornwall’s first British champion in 85 years.

The 30-year-old dubbed the ‘Newquay Bomb’ is preparing for a rematch of his British middleweight title bout with Nathan Heaney on 20 July.

The pair drew with one another in March, despite Pauls feeling he had done enough to win the fight.

Should he beat Heaney he would be Cornwall’s first British champion since Len Harvey won the light-heavyweight title shortly before the outbreak of World War Two.

“When I become the British champion on 20 July in Birmingham, I’ll be the first British champion from my neck of the woods since 1939,” he told BBC Radio Cornwall.

“It’s a long time and it’s nice to put myself in the history books.”

Pauls has won 18 of his 20 professional bouts, with his only loss coming in February 2023 to reigning European champion Tyler Denny on points for the English middleweight belt.

His fight with Heaney at Birmingham’s Resorts World Arena will be televised and Pauls is confident he will be able to register a 19th professional win.

“It’s a nice feeling going into the next fight knowing he can’t really hurt me and I know I can hurt him,” he said.

“So I feel the momentum’s with me, I feel like I’ve got everything to gain and the pressure’s still on him, so it’s going to be a good one.

“This time we know what works and what doesn’t work.

“We know I can do 12 rounds now, that’s a box ticked off, and I feel like if we’re just on him a little bit earlier and don’t give him a chance to breathe, I’m going to get to him at some point.

“I feel like the fight will be more of the same next time, so it should be good for the fans.”