Middleweight contender Nathan Heaney will defend his British title against once-beaten Brad Pauls this Saturday, March 16 in the 12-round main event at Resorts World Arena in Birmingham, England.
In the 12-round co-feature, undefeated junior featherweight Liam Davies will lock horns against Mexico’s Erik Robles Ayala.
The undercard features feature the return of Joe Joyce, a 2016 Olympic silver medalist and former Interim WBO heavyweight champion, in a scheduled 10-rounder against Kash Ali.
Promoted by Queensberry, Heaney-Pauls, Davies-Ayala, Joyce-Ali and additional fight action will stream live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+ starting at 2:30 p.m. ET/11:30 a.m. PT.
Heaney (18-0, 6 KOs) is a six-year pro who is coming off his best win yet, a 12-round majority decision against former world title challenger Denzel Bentley. The 34-year-old is ranked No. 4 by the WBO, so he’ll look state his case for a world title shot this year. Pauls (18-1, 10 KOs) made his pro debut in 2015 and went 16-0 before dropping a 10-round decision against Tyler Denny in February 2023. He bounced back with a points victory over Patryk Polasik last May and an eighth-round TKO versus Mitchell Frearson in September.
Davies (15-0, 7 KOs) is on the verge of a world title opportunity. The 27-year-old scored two impressive wins in 2023, a first-round TKO over countryman Jason Cunningham in July and a fifth-round stoppage of then-unbeaten Italian Vincenzo La Femina in November. Ayala (15-1, 9 KOs) upset hometown hero Lee McGregor via unanimous decision in Scotland last July and capitalized on his performance by returning home to decision the previously unbeaten Cesar Vaca Espinoza in December.
IN OTHER STREAMING ACTION:
Zach Parker (23-1, 17 KOs) vs. Tyron Zeuge (27-1-1, 15 KOs), 10 rounds, Super Middleweights
Dennis McCann (14-0-1, 8 KOs) vs. Brad Strand (11-0, 3 KOs), 12/10 rounds, Junior Featherweights
Eithan James (12-0) vs. Owen Cooper (9-0, 3 KOs), 10 rounds, James’ WBO European and Vacant English Welterweight Titles
Pierce O’Leary (13-0, 7 KOs) vs. Hovhannes Martirosyan (16-0, 10 KOs), 10 rounds, O’Leary’s WBC International Junior Welterweight Title