Garner to face Magnesi for WBC interim title in Southampton
Ex-British and European super-featherweight champion Ryan Garner will headline a show at Southampton's St Mary's Stadium.
Ryan Garner will headline at St Mary's Stadium in his home city of Southampton in June [Queensberry/Leigh Dawney] Former British and European super-featherweight champion Ryan Garner will headline a show at Southampton's St Mary's Stadium this summer. The unbeaten 28-year-old will fight Italian Michael Magnesi in his home city for the WBC interim super-featherweight title on 20 June. Garner is ranked third in the WBC's current super-featherweight rankings, with the 31-year-old Magnesi first.
They will compete for the chance to face current world title holder O'Shaquie Foster, who is reported to be fighting the number two ranked contender Raymond Ford this summer in Texas. This opportunity will be the realisation of a childhood dream for Garner, who has made no secret of his love for Southampton FC and desire to headline a contest at their home ground. Nicknamed 'The Piranha', he comes into the contest off the back of a 2025 filled with momentum, picking up the British, Commonwealth and European titles across two headline shows in Bournemouth before vacating them early this year.
"This has been my dream all along and now it is coming true, Frank [Warren] promised me he would make it happen and he has always delivered for me right from the beginning," Garner said. "I believe this will be one of the biggest single sporting events ever to take place in the city and I know that I've got the Southampton people behind me. It will just be an amazing occasion but I have a job to do against a tough opponent so I can make sure we can do this again and again.
"I am thrilled that we are sticking to the WBC title and, when I win this one, the champion will have no place to hide. " Also announced on the bill is current British and Commonwealth light-heavyweight champion Lewis Edmondson from Southampton, who will take on former European title holder Lyndon Arthur. Edmondson comes into this fight off the back of a first career defeat to Daniel Lapin at Wembley Stadium last July.