Newport’s Nathan Howells is just one win away from securing a dream British title shot as he gears up to face Port Talbot’s Conor McIntosh for the second time.
The super-featherweight duo are set to do battle in a final eliminator for the British super-featherweight title at the Vale Sports Arena in Cardiff on Saturday September 13, just shy of two years on from their first encounter which took place in November of 2023.
After a fiery encounter which saw Howells hit the canvas for the first time in his career, McIntosh got the nod on the referees scorecard to capture the vacant Welsh title at 130lbs.
Howells has racked up several consecutive victories since suffering the first defeat of his career, becoming the Celtic super-featherweight champion earlier this year when he dethroned Belfast’s John Cooney with an impressive performance.
The winner of the much anticipated rematch between the Welsh duo will be granted a shot at the British super-featherweight title, which is currently held by Southampton’s Ryan Garner, who also holds the European and Commonwealth titles at 130lbs.
Garner defeated Watford’s Reece Bellotti last month to add the British and Commonwealth titles to his collection, stopping his domestic rival in the 12th and final round of their clash in Bournemouth.
Speaking ahead of his rematch with McIntosh, Howells said that he is ‘feeling good’ as he prepares to move one step closer to achieving his dream.
“I feel good, [I’ve] been wanting to have the chance to run it back [and] now I got it.”
Howells followed this up with offering his prediction for the fight.
“A win by any means.”
Howells finds himself in arguably the best form of his professional career, which is said to have been impacted by the addition of trainer Junior Borg who has been working with the 32-year-old alongside his head coach Tony Borg over the last few months.
Whilst he is faced with arguably the most important fight of his career, Howells could write his name into the boxing history books should he go on to capture the British super-featherweight title in the future, as he will become just the third fighter from Newport to win a version of the coveted Lonsdale Belt.
Heavyweight great David ‘Bomber’ Pearce and Commonwealth Gold Medallist Sean McGoldrick are the only fighters from the city of Newport to have achieved this feat, with their respective title reigns coming exactly forty years apart.
