‘Future world champion’ boxer and Everton fan has dream to headline at Bramley-Moore Dock stadium

Exciting boxing prospect Peter McGrail has spoken out on his desire to bring a world title fight to Bramley-Moore Dock ahead of his Matchroom Boxing debut on Saturday night.

The Tokyo Olympian is currently 6-0 (5 KO’s) in the professional ranks and is set to fight at the M&S Bank Arena in what will be his debut under Eddie Hearn’s boxing promotional company as he faces off against the experienced Nicolas Nahuel Botelli on the undercard of Diego Pacheco vs Jack Cullen.

McGrail, 26, has been tipped to become a world champion in the future and is a lifelong Everton fan targeting a prospective bout at his club’s future ground. He is hoping to emulate Tony Bellew, another lifelong fan, who beat Ilunga Makabu in 2016 at Goodison Park to win WBC Cruiserweight World Title.

The pair recently filmed a video together for Matchroom Boxing’s YouTube channel as they discussed growing up and training in Liverpool. Bellew also called the young prospect a ‘future world champion’ and backed him to follow in his footsteps and headline at Everton’s ground in the future.

“I haven’t done nothing you can’t do.” Bellew told McGrail as they stood outside Goodison Park. “It’s only a matter of time. I’d love for you to get into this place, but the end goal and result for you has to be somewhere like Bramley-Moore.

“Could you imagine your walkout music in there and coming out for a world title fight - listen, you could be a world champion by then, defending your world title there.”

McGrail agreed and confirmed his dream bout: “Obviously the dream scenario is there (Goodison Park) world title there and world title at Bramley Moore isn’t it? But if we’re being realistic, it’s Bramley Moore. A unification fight at Bramley Moore. It’s been done before, you’ve paved the way haven’t you?” McGrail told Bellew.

The stadium project is due to be completed for the start of the 2024/25 season and is set to boast a capacity of 52,888 - which is a significant increase on Goodison Park which currently holds 39,572 at maximum capacity.

Fighting out of the famed Everton Red Triangle Boxing gym, McGrail is one of England’s most successful amateur boxers, winning European Gold, Commonwealth Gold and two World Championship Bronzes across a glittering amateur career.

Despite the glowing amateur record, he was unable to translate his previous successes into the Olympics, as he exited the competiton in the round of 32 in a tight points decision loss.

However, he has since enjoyed a strong start to his professional career fighting in England, the United Arab Emirates and Japan and is being backed to go from strength to strength by many in the boxing world under the UK’s biggest boxing company starting on Saturday night.