Venue, Date, and Time
Venue: Co-op Live Arena, Manchester, Lancashire, United Kingdom (a modern multi-purpose arena hosting major boxing cards under Queensberry Promotions).
Start Time: Main card begins at 5:00 PM GMT (UK time) / 1:00 PM ET (US). Ring walks for Thompson vs. Pauls are expected around 7:00 PM GMT / 3:00 PM ET (or approximately 2:00 PM EST per some listings, accounting for time zone nuances).
Broadcast: Live on DAZN (worldwide, including UK and US). UK viewers can access via DAZN app/subscription; US pricing starts around $29.99/month for standard access.
Injury Report
No injuries or withdrawals have been reported for either Thompson or Pauls. Both fighters have confirmed they are fully cleared and ready. The card itself was rescheduled from an original January 24, 2026 date due to an injury to the main-event fighter (Moses Itauma), but this matchup proceeded as planned with no further issues noted.
Fighter Matchups and Tale of the Tape
This is a classic size vs. experience clash at middleweight:
Shakiel Thompson (“Dr. Steel”): 28 years old, 6’3″ (191 cm), 79″ (200 cm) reach, southpaw. Sheffield, England native and Queensberry Promotions signee. Holder of IBF European and WBO Global middleweight titles; ranked as high as IBF #3. One win away from a potential IBF world title shot.
Brad Pauls (“The Newquay Bomb”): 32 years old, 5’10” (178 cm), 70.9″ (180 cm) reach, orthodox. Cornish/UK veteran and former British middleweight champion. Tough, high-volume pressure fighter who has never been stopped.
Key Physical Edges: Thompson holds a massive 5-inch height and 8-inch+ reach advantage, allowing him to control range with his southpaw jab and left cross. Pauls will need to close distance aggressively to negate this.
Recent Form
Thompson (last 4 fights, all stoppages totaling just 12 rounds):
Sep 2025: TKO 2 vs. Grant Dennis
Feb 2025: TKO 4 vs. David Benitez
Sep 2024: TKO 3 vs. River Wilson-Bent (title defense with multiple knockdowns)
Feb 2024: TKO 3 vs. Gino Kanters
He has looked explosive and dominant against lower-level opposition but remains untested beyond the early rounds in recent years.
Pauls (last 5 fights, mostly going the distance or deep):
Dec 2024: UD 12 loss vs. Denzel Bentley (lost British title)
Jul 2024: TKO 12 vs. Nathan Heaney (won British title)
Mar 2024: SD 12 draw vs. Nathan Heaney
Feb 2023: UD 10 loss vs. Tyler Denny
May 2025: UD 10 win vs. Omir Rodriguez (recent activity)
Pauls is battle-hardened, durable, and competitive against top domestic opposition. He thrives in longer, grueling fights.
Fight History and Key Insights
Thompson turned pro in 2018 and has built a perfect record through disciplined matchmaking and raw power (73% KO rate). His most notable wins came via stoppages in title fights. Pauls, a pro since 2015, has 147+ career rounds and has faced (and beaten or drawn with) former champions. He is the more seasoned operator but has shown vulnerabilities against elite boxers in recent losses.
The winner was positioned by promoter Frank Warren for a potential world-title opportunity, adding stakes to this domestic showdown.
FIGHT ODDS
Shakiel Thompson – 380
Brad Pauls + 290
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Friday, March 27, 2026
