Conah Walker targeting happy New Year after landing major title shot

The 29-year-old faces the current belt holder Harry Scarff at Nottingham Arena on January 25 hoping to take the biggest step yet in a career which has been on upward trajectory for the last 18 months.

Walker has won three of his last four fights with the only defeat a highly contentious points loss to Lewis Crocker in one of the best bouts of 2024.

He rebounded by outpointing former British lightweight champion Lewis Ritson at the end of November and made a swift return to the gym when the offer to challenge Scarff came in.

“Conah had a couple of days off after the Ritson fight and the call to fight Scarff was about a week later,” explained coach Richie Ghent.

“It’s a tight turnaround and of course it meant the pads were going on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

“But it was the kind of opportunity you can’t turn down. If he gets his hands on the British title it will open up massive doors for him.”

Walker will be out to avenge a defeat to Scarff nearly a decade ago in the amateurs and knows he is in for a tricky evening against the 31-year-old, who has earned the nickname “Horrible Harry” for his awkward, switch-hitting style. 

It was enough to bamboozle the likes of former British champ Ekow Essuman who lost the belt to Scarff on points in November, 2023. The Derby-born fighter has, by and large, been avoided by big name boxers with his only fight last year a defeat to recent world title challenger Karen Chukhadzhian in Germany.

Yet Walker’s career has been revitalised by his willingness to accept whatever challenges are placed in front of him and Ghent is confident he has the quality to claim the belts.

He will certainly have the bulk of the support, having already sold 400 tickets despite the show receiving little promotion during the Christmas period.

Ghent said: “Scarff has a horrible style, hence the nickname. You can see why in the past people have avoided him.

“But I think Conah’s aggression and power will put things in our favour.

“It’s a huge opportunity and he knows he cannot look past this one. It is a case of taking it one fight at a time. He has to get this one won.”