Watson whips up plenty of support

Saturday 26th March 2011, 2:30PM GMT.

BRADLEY WATSON won’t be short of support tonight as he makes his professional debut against Salim Salimov at the Oceana nightclub in Southampton.

Remarkably, he has sold between 200 and 250 tickets, the majority of them to islanders.

The 20-year-old Sarnian (pictured) is the first local boxer to turn pro in half-a-century and the talented Bulgarian is his first opponent, a tough first test for Watson in the flyweight division.

Salimov, 28, has fought in five pro fights, winning the first two inside the distance, but has lost his last three, including a fortnight ago when he went down on points. He has never previously boxed in the UK.