Local cage fighters taking part in Manchester Fight Festival

Professional cage fighters Martin Stapleton and Antonio Sheldon are set to fight in Manchester on Saturday 7 July as part of Gio Goi and ICE FC’s Fight Festival.

Local cage fighter Martin Stapleton, whose current record is 19 wins and six losses, will compete against Adam Boussif for the main event.

After serving 12 years in the Royal Marines, including tours of Northern Ireland and Afghanistan, Stapleton, a Physical Training Instructor, left the forces to focus as a professional MMA fighter.

Stapleton said: “This will be the first time I’ve fought in Manchester for five years, so I am buzzing.

“It’s going to be good fighting at home where I can show off to my family and friends.

“You’ve got to work for the victory and I’ve definitely been doing that. I’ve been training at SBG (Straight Blast Gym) Manchester every day, Full Contact Performance Centre and SBG in Dublin recently.

“It’s going to be a good event.”

Antonio Sheldon, who has always lived in Rochdale and trained at Full Contact Performance Centre, became a professional fighter one year ago but has cage fought for over five years. To date, his professional record is two wins and one loss. His fight at the festival, against Ross Coe from Sunderland, will be his fourth fight as a professional.

Sheldon said: “I’m always prepared for upcoming fights. I train twice a day and I’ve been going to SBG in Dublin so I’m confident.

“It’s good practice going to Dublin because we can train with different bodies and mix the styles up. Every fighter uses different techniques and moves, so it’s a good way to get prepared.

“I haven’t really looked into my opponent because I’d rather focus on myself and not what my opponents been up to.

“For me, it’s just another fight.”

The festival, which has been described as an ‘action packed night of MMA with live music’, will host sixteen fights altogether as well as a line up of bands such as The Oasis Experience, Prose and Daz 808 State.

It will be held on Saturday 7 July from 6.00pm at Bowlers Exhibition Centre, Manchester.

Tickets for the event can be purchased from Full Contact Performance Centre.