Sheffield duo aim to steal Barnsley boxing show

The pair are on the Boxxer undercard of Callum Simpson's EBU European Super Middleweight title push at Oakwell football stadium.

Most of the focus will be on Simpson, who is hoping to add to previously won titles, including British Commonwealth and WBO Inter-Continental straps.

But the Sheffield pair are at an interesting - and contrasting - stage in their own developments.

Essomba, at the ripe old age of 37, has a distinguished background.

The Cameroonian-British professional boxer has held the European bantamweight and Commonwealth flyweight titles and represented Cameroon at the 2012 Olympics.

Ten years ago, he beat Sheffield's Waleed Din for the Commonwealth strap at the Magna Centre, Rotherham.

While there have been more highs than lows, he lost to brothers Charlie and Sunny Edwards - Charlie stripping him of his European belt last year.

In February, Thomas warmed up with a four-rounder and on June 7 will face Welsh featherweight Rhys Edwards, who had a 16-fight unbeaten record before a defeat in Saudi Arabia in December.

The Steel City-trained warrior and budding coach (14-9-1) said he was looking forward to "a good fight... Edwards is a good boxer, I have watched him a couple of times."

The former Olympian said he always lived in hope of big stage fights.

"The time I will stop dreaming is when I will retire.

"Every time I go in the gym I still have a hope that I will achieve what is in my mind, my dream is going to become true."

That dream, he told Boxed In podcast, meant achieving more than he had already.

Relative newcomer Red, from Intake, aims to record his ninth professional win.

He faces his first-ever boxer with a winning record, Southampton's Harley Collison.

The Ingle-trained fighter, 28, hasn't boxed since a four-rounder in November but has promised fans an all-singing, all-dancing performance.

He said it wouldn't be an easy fight against Collison but he was delighted to be part of such a big Boxxer/Sky Sports-televised show.

At a media event recently he described himself as "like Luther Van Dross but right violent."

Red has always been respectful about Sheffield's boxing past.

He once told The Star: "For me, Clinton Woods and Kell Brook are the epitome of what Sheffield boxing is.

"Two hard-working, local lads who didn’t duck fights and worked hard until they reached the top.

"I’ve always been big fans of both."