City man to step into the bareknuckle boxing ring with the KO King

The 35 year-old from Peterborough has accepted a fight with a knockout specialist at the O2 Arena on Saturday, July 23. Romanian Opponent Ionel Levitchi has won all three fights inside two rounds.

Reffell made a winning start as a bareknuckle boxer in January and sees the fight with Levitchi as a way to fast track his career.

Reffell said: “This will be my hardest challenge. I haven’t fought anyone as formidable before. I have had to put on weight for this, but I didn’t want to back down and if I win I will knocking on the door of a British title fight, or an eliminator.

“Nobody else has lasted beyond the second round with him and beating him will put my name right up there. I took half an hour to think about it after I was offered the fight before I said: ‘Yes.’ I didn’t get into this sport to mess around. In pro boxing, some fighters pick and choose their opponents, but bareknuckle boxing isn’t like that.”

Reffell, who is training at Peterborough Boxing and Fitness Gym and Respect Fitness in Leicester, says he knows how to beat Levitchi.

Reffell added: “He’s a brawler, he doesn’t really box. He has short arms and looks to land bombs. He looks to push you into the corners and let his hands go, I don’t want to be in the corners! I know what his game plan is and I have to stick to mine – or I could end up in trouble.