Steven Ward’s British title eliminator heading for Chris Eubank Jr topped Sky card

We knew the who and for what but now we know the when and where of Steven Ward’s British cruiserweight title eliminator.

‘The Quietman’ will fight Mikael Lawal [13(7)-0] Saturday 2nd October at the SSE Wembley Arena for the right to challenge for a strap currently held by Tommy McCarthy defeater Chris Billam Smith.

The fight plays out on Sky Sport’s first show since parting company with Matchroom and Eddie Hearn. The BOXXER and Wasserman promoted show will be topped by former Spike O’Sullivan foe Chris Eubank Jr, who fights Sven Elbir.

Purse bids for his mandated fight were won by Ben Shalom of Ultimate Boxxer fame last month, so Irish fight fans were aware Sky would broadcast the bout.

This week more details were released and the make up of the show the fight will populate has been confirmed.

Can't wait. Thank you to my manager Anto and all at @MTKGlobal and @SkySportsBoxing pic.twitter.com/Cq9C8RvrwU

— Steven Ward (@Stevenward_) September 1, 2021

Ward [13(4)-1(1)] was initially mandated to fight Jack Massey in an eliminator and was set to face the former domestic title challenger on a Frank Warren show.

However, ‘One Smack’ withdrew meaning Lawal now stands between Ward and a British title fight.

Lagos-born London-based Lawal is unbeaten in 13 fights, has seven knockouts to his name and is an Ultimate Boxxer winner.

Ward was last seen in the ring in an exhibition bout with former Strong Man and Game of Thrones star Hafthor ‘Thor’ Bjornsson and was set to fight Kazakh ‘phenom’ Kamshybek Kunkabayev in February in Dubai but that fight fell through.

The Newtownabbey resident has been handed domestic duty next and has been given a clear pathway to British title success.