Commonwealth champion Philip Bowes has criticised opponent Akeem Ennis Brown ahead their bout for the vacant British 140-pound title. Bowes (20-3, 3 KOs) faces Brown (13-0, 1 KO) for both belts on the Golden Contract bill at York Hall on March 20th. The fights will be shown live on Sky Sports in the UK and on ESPN+ in the US in association with Top Rank. With both men touted as possible future opponents for the winner of Golden Contract final between Ohara Davies and Tyrone McKenna, Brown previously hinted he would be prepared to face Davies and temporarily put their friendship aside.

 

Brown said: “Would I fight Ohara? We speak about it sometimes. We’re here to feed our family and we’ve sparred hundreds of rounds. Do the fans want to see us put our friendship aside? Money talks! We’d be friends again straight afterwards so it would just depend if the numbers are right.”

 

Bowes, who is also friends with Davies, offered a different take. He said: “If Ohara wins the tournament – and I’m sure that’s what’s going to happen – I wouldn’t fight him because we are friends. It just wouldn’t happen. Brown saying he would fight Ohara just goes to show he has a price. My friends are priceless to me – I never put money over friends and family. I found Brown rude and ignorant at first to be honest but maybe that was just to sell the show. I’m sure he is a cool guy really… I don’t believe I need to trash talk to sell fights. If you’re a classy fighter just be classy. Class is permanent.”

 

Brown replied: “I don’t think Philip Bowes is cut out for this sport. It’s a sport for kings. He needs to find another job because he’s just a little baby who throws his toys out of the pram when people don’t want to be his friend. Bowes is a beg. He begs friends of people so he can avoid fighting them. He begs friends with Ohara because he knows if they ever fought, Ohara would take his head off with one punch. He did the same with Robbie Davies Jr to avoid fighting him. The reason he doesn’t like me is because he tried to beg friends with me so he could avoid fighting me but I’m not in this for friends. I’m here to win and get money. Me and Philip can be friends once I’ve beaten him up and I’ve got the titles. It’s business. I’ll fight my Nan, my Grandad; whoever it takes to be the best and claim my place. This runs deeper than money. It’s about legacy. He’s going to know and feel my price – it’s the British & Commonwealth belts. If he wants to be friend afterwards, cool. If not, I don’t really care.”