THERE’S another clash between heavyweights from England and Ukraine before Daniel Dubois and Oleksandr Usyk decide the undisputed championship at Wembley Stadium next month.
Neilson Boxing and TM 14 have matched unbeatens Gideon Antwi and Dorin Krasmaru against each other over six rounds on their show at the York Hall on Saturday, June 28.
Antwi, a North Londoner with Ghanaian heritage, is 2-0, Krasmaru is 4-0 (2 KOs) and both have solid amateur pedigrees. Krasmaru reached the semi-finals of the 2017 Ukrainian championship, while Antwi won the National Amateur Championships and Tri Nations title in 2023 before turning over.
Both have found it hard going in the pros. Krasmaru was out for nearly five years – July 2020 to May 2025 – as he settled with his wife in Canning Town and struggled to get fights.
Antwi has also suffered frustration.
“I’m seeing why people stop boxing,” said the 32-year-old. “It’s hard to get fights. It can discourage you. It’s not as easy as people think. You don’t just say: ‘Yes’ to a fight and then it happens.”
Antwi said ‘Yes’ to fights with Harry Armstrong and Lewie Pochetty, which then didn’t happen before the Krasmaru fight got the green light.
Antwi, trained by his father Benjamin Miller and managed by Mickey Helliet, says this is the fight he needs after launching his pro career with points wins over Cristian Uwaka and Milen Paunov.
“They were messy fights,” he conceded. “They came to run and hold and I wasn’t able to get my shots off. I know Dorin is coming to fight – not hold me. I’m going to be able to show what I can do.”
Antwi has some insight into the Ukrainian, having sparred with him.
He said: “I sparred him years ago when he was at the old Peacock gym with Daniel Dubois.
“I was there for three weeks and we did plenty of rounds, but that was years ago and people change.”
Antwi remains a box of tricks and says that Krasmaru could be the dance partner he’s been waiting for.
“My style is to make them miss and make them pay and it’s hard to do that when they are running away from you !” he said.
“I know he will come forward and have a go. This is a big fight. It’s definitely a step up. It will help me get where I want to be. It will catapult me up the rankings.”
Krasmaru (pictured below) has similar ambitions, and manager/trainer Martin Bowers revealed the part the 32-year-old played in Dubois’ career.
“They were around each other a lot at the start of their pro careers,” said Bowers. “They sparred thousands of rounds. Nobody has done more rounds with Daniel than Dorin.
“He brought Daniel on so much at the start. Everywhere Daniel went, Dorin went too and they were good for each other. Daniel had someone to compete against.”
Whoever wins out of Antwi and Krasmaru, neither will face Delicious Orie in the future after the 2024 Olympian decided to retire.
Orie, who bows out with a 1-0 pro record, outpointed Antwi in the 2019 England Boxing Elite Championship final and the Londoner said: “I was gutted when I heard that (Orie had retired). I wanted the rematch in the pros. It was controversial (when they boxed as amateurs) and he took that spot (as Great Britain No 1).
“But I have no grudges. He has a lot going for him. He has an education and good luck to him.”
