Frazer Clarke’s opponent Jake Darnell was in Amir Khan’s public training against Kell Brook as a fan on Wednesday, now fighting the undercard heavyweight Olympic medalist
Jake Darnell has revealed he watched Amir Khan’s public practice against Kell Brook as a fan in the crowd on Wednesday, and had no idea he would end up fighting on the undercard four days later.
The heavyweight is set to make his professional boxing debut under bizarre circumstances live on talkSPORT on Saturday night, and will be a gigantic underdog as he does.
Team GB Olympic bronze medalist Frazer Clarke has struggled to find an opponent for his fight on the show, as his own debut awaits after his success in Tokyo last August.
Due to this situation, matchmakers approached Darnell’s manager at the last minute and the pair will now meet at Manchester Arena.
Darnell told iFL TV: “I was in public practice on Wednesday, I asked my manager, ‘Come on mate, can you get me a ticket?’
“He was like, ‘It’s not gonna happen.’
“I received a call Thursday from him. He was like, ‘I got you a ticket to the fight, but you have to fight Frazer.’
“So I’m like, ‘No dramas, let’s go. “”
Darnell continued, “I work with children in care.
“I took down one of the kids, he just started boxing himself.
“He wanted to go watch them, see all the famous boxers.
“I was like, ‘Yeah let’s go.’
“I was over there watching, tried to get a ticket, couldn’t get one.
“Phone call 24 hours later, ‘You can come, but you have to fight.'”
Darnell has no illusions about the task ahead.
He admitted: “It’s a big ask, everyone knows it’s a big ask, but why would you say no?
“This is the opportunity of a lifetime.
“Just being with everyone is a dream for me.
“Getting in the ring and fighting on that stage is amazing.
“My friends don’t even believe me.
“Nothing to lose, let’s try with him, maybe cause an upset.”
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