Frank Warren will kick off his 45th year as a licensed British promoter with a major event at the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester on March 28, as heavyweight prodigy Moses Itauma takes on American contender Jermaine Franklin in the headline bout of the Magnificent 7 card. The event, promoted by Queensberry Promotions, marks Warren’s first UK show of 2026 and is set to air on DAZN.
The event was initially set to occur in January but unfortunate injury of Moses Itauma forced the event to be postponed. The fight card stays intact as well.
Itauma, just 20 years old, has built a 13-0 record with 11 knockouts and has already impressed fans with dominant wins over Mike Balogun and Dillian Whyte earlier in 2025. Described as a “world champion-in-waiting,” Itauma continues to develop rapidly and faces one of his most experienced opponents yet. Franklin, from Saginaw, Michigan, brings a 24-2 (15 KOs) record and familiarity with British audiences, having previously gone the distance with both Whyte and Anthony Joshua before rebounding with three straight victories.
Watch Itauma vs. Whyte highlights.
The undercard features several notable domestic clashes, including a light heavyweight showdown between Willy Hutchinson (19-2, 14 KOs) and unbeaten Ezra Taylor (13-0, 9 KOs). Commonwealth junior lightweight champion Zak Miller (17-1, 3 KOs) faces Liam Davies (17-1, 8 KOs), while rising middleweight Shakiel Thompson (15-0, 11 KOs) meets former British champion Brad Pauls (20-2-1, 11 KOs). Stoke favorite Nathan Heaney (19-1-1, 6 KOs) returns to action against Welsh southpaw Gerome Warburton (16-2-2, 2 KOs), and the lightweight division will see Alex Murphy (14-2, 0 KOs) square off with English champion Josh Holmes (17-0, 6 KOs), alongside Aqib Fiaz (14-1, 2 KOs) taking on Jordan Flynn (12-1-1, 2 KOs).
“This show will also effectively celebrate my 45th year in the professional business,” Warren said. “It is a statement of intent for the New Year and a sign of things to come. We are delighted with what we have put together across 2025, and we’ll make 2026 a landmark year for the sport.”
Fight card:
▪️Moses Itauma vs. Jermaine Franklin Jr., 10 rounds, heavyweight
▪️Willy Hutchinson vs. Ezra Taylor, 10 rounds, light heavyweight
▪️Liam Davies vs. Zak Miller, 10 rounds, featherweight
▪️Shakiel Thompson vs. Brad Pauls, 10 rounds, middleweight
▪️Nathan Heaney vs. Gerome Warburton, 10 rounds, middleweight
▪️Aqib Fiaz vs. Jordan Flynn, 10 rounds, lightweight
▪️Alex Murphy vs. Josh Holmes, 10 rounds, lightweight
▪️Nelson Birchall vs. Ryan Griffiths, 8 rounds, super featherweight
▪️John Joe Carrigan vs. Danny Costello, 4 rounds, super welterweight
▪️Aadam Hamed vs. Kasey Bradnum, 4 rounds, super lightweight
