It was around this time last year when Harris Akbar knew the time had come to wrap up his gifted amateur career.
The 2022 European Games Gold medalist from Bradford, England is now less than two weeks out from completing that year-long journey.
“I can see myself transitioning well from amateur to professional,” Akbar told BoxingScene. “I competed at the highest levels possible on the amateur circuit and I want to take my extensive knowledge of boxing into the next stage of my career.
“I truly believe with my dedication and the team I have, I can be one of the biggest stars in boxing.”
Akbar is set for his pro debut, which is set for May 10 on the Anthony Cacace-Leigh Wood DAZN undercard at Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham, England. The 26-year-old junior middleweight will face France’s Remi Scholer, 5-15 (2 KOs) in a scheduled four-rounder.
The opportunity comes several months after Akbar signed with Queensberry Promotions, headed by Hall of Fame promoter Frank Warren.
Long before that point, Akbar knew he was done at the amateur level.
That decision was made last May, when he failed to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics. He hoped to represent Great Britain in the quadrennial classic. However, he ran out of road when a slot at the World Olympic Qualifiers in Thailand instead went to Lewis Richardson, who would go on to claim a bronze medal in Paris.
Akbar made a conscious effort to strengthen his team. In addition to Warren at the promotional reins, he is co-managed by Katia Banel and former HBO Pay-Per-View whiz Mark Taffet, whose clients include multi-division champion and pound-for-pound queen Claressa Shields.
Banel has also quickly developed a healthy pro portfolio. The Canada-based Frenchwoman also represents a pair of Olympians in Caroline Veyre and Tamm Thibeault in the pro ranks.
“We are so proud to be working with Harris as his journey to becoming world champion begins,” Banel and Taffet told BoxingScene in a provided joint statement. “He is an exceptional young man with great talent and a rich amateur background, all of which will make him a world champion, a star and a fan favorite in the sport he loves.
“We are very excited for him.”
Akbar had 198 amateur fights and was a member of Team Great Britain. His crowning achievement was claiming top honors during the Men’s 2022 European Amateur Boxing Championships in Yerevan, Armenia. Akbar earned four victories, including a unanimous decision over Garan Croft to win at light middleweight.
The feat saw Akbar become just the third Englishman in 60 years to claim the European amateur championship, joining Luke Campbell – a 2012 Olympic Gold medalist – and Peter McGrail.
Akbar is now determined to make an immediate splash in the pro ranks. He trains out of the famed Steel City Gym in Sheffield, which also boasts rising junior welterweight contender Dalton Smith.
“I am determined to get the absolute best out of myself and leave a worthwhile legacy. This part of my career is all I have imagined since I began boxing as a young boy — winning belts, fighting in front of massive crowds, and seeing my name on the front of magazine covers and in news headlines.”
Jake Donovan is an award-winning journalist who served as a senior writer for BoxingScene from 2007-2024, and news editor for the final nine years of his first tour. He was also the lead writer for The Ring before his decision to return home. Follow Jake on X and Instagram.
