Nathan Heaney has more reasons than most to be motivated on Saturday night. “The Hitman” lost his British Middleweight Championship to Brad Pauls in a brutal 12th-round TKO in July 2024 — a defeat that temporarily derailed his title journey. Now the former champion faces Gerome “Bread Maker” Warburton, a experienced Welsh southpaw with 20 professional fights, at the same Co-op Live Arena in Manchester where the pain of that loss is still fresh.
The twist: Brad Pauls is fighting on the same card, one bout earlier in the evening. In British boxing, narratives don’t come much richer.
| Date | Saturday, March 28, 2026 |
| Venue | Co-op Live Arena, Manchester |
| Promotion | Queensberry Promotions |
| Division | Middleweight (160 lb) |
| Rounds | 10 |
| Broadcaster | DAZN (UK & Global) |
| Estimated Ringwalk | ~6:00 PM GMT / 1:00 PM EST |
Nathan Heaney (19-1-1, 6 KOs) is the 36-year-old Stoke-based former British Middleweight Champion whose professional journey has been one of British boxing’s more compelling storylines. He turned pro in 2017 and built steadily through the domestic ranks before earning a majority decision victory over three-time British champion Denzel Bentley in November 2023 — one of the best domestic middleweight results of that year.
The 2024 Pauls saga was difficult: a draw in March, then TKO’d in the 12th in their rematch in July. A February 2025 no-contest against Sofiane Khati muddied the waters further. But Heaney responded with a composed 8-round points win over Grant Dennis in July 2025, and at 19-1-1 with 152 career rounds behind him, the experience base to push back into title contention is absolutely there. He just needs the wins.
Gerome Warburton (16-2-2, 2 KOs) is the 30-year-old Welsh southpaw nicknamed “Bread Maker” who has built a quietly consistent professional record across 20 fights since 2019. His southpaw stance creates genuine angles that orthodox fighters find uncomfortable, and his draw against Ryan Kelly in June 2024 — Kelly is a quality domestic operator — shows he can hold his own against credible opposition.
The caveat is a 4th-round TKO loss to Kieron Conway in May 2025. Conway is a world-ranked fighter, so it’s not a mark against Warburton’s character — but it’s a durability data point that Heaney’s team will have studied. Warburton’s 13% KO rate tells you his path to victory runs through the scorecards, not the knockout.
| Nathan Heaney | Gerome Warburton | |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 19-1-1 | 16-2-2 |
| KOs | 6 (32%) | 2 (13%) |
| Age | 36 | 30 |
| Height | 6’1” / 185 cm | — |
| Reach | 74” / 188 cm | — |
| Stance | Orthodox | Southpaw |
| Career Rounds | 152 | ~100 |
Heaney has a 32% KO rate against Warburton’s 13%, a significant power differential in the context of a 10-round fight. The 152 career rounds represents one of the deepest professional experience pools on this entire card.
Nathan Heaney — Last 5 Fights
| Date | Opponent | Result | Method | Rd |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 2025 | Grant Dennis | W | UD | 8 |
| Feb 2025 | Sofiane Khati | NC | — | 7 |
| Jul 2024 | Brad Pauls | L | TKO | 12 |
| Mar 2024 | Brad Pauls | D | SD | 12 |
| Nov 2023 | Denzel Bentley | W | MD | 12 |
Gerome Warburton — Last 4 Fights
| Date | Opponent | Result | Method | Rd |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 2025 | Jordan Grannum | W | PTS | 6 |
| May 2025 | Kieron Conway | L | TKO | 4 |
| Jun 2024 | Ryan Kelly | D | PTS | 10 |
| Aug 2022 | Jordan Grannum | W | PTS | 4 |
Heaney’s win over Bentley remains his career highlight — Bentley later went on to beat the same Brad Pauls who beat Heaney. The boxing world is a small, interconnected place.
The orthodox vs southpaw dynamic gives this fight an interesting tactical wrinkle. Heaney’s 6’1” frame and 74-inch reach give him physical advantages, but Warburton’s southpaw angles disrupt the rhythm of orthodox fighters who prefer to box in straight lines.
Heaney’s key asset here is his 152 career rounds. The July 2025 win over Grant Dennis showed his conditioning and output are still sharp at 36 — and critically, Dennis was also stopped by Shakiel Thompson in round 2 on the same evening, which contextualises the quality of Heaney’s performance. Warburton’s TKO loss to Conway (stopped in round 4) raises a legitimate question about his ability to absorb sustained pressure from quality opposition.
If Heaney can establish his jab and body work early, Warburton’s lower KO rate and questionable durability suggest this fight resolves in Heaney’s favour.
Nathan Heaney
Gerome Warburton
Heaney enters as a clear favourite based on his credentials, domestic experience, and power advantage. Odds are not yet widely available for this contest. Prediction: Heaney W UD 10.
| Country | Broadcaster | Start Time |
|---|---|---|
| UK | DAZN | 5:00 PM GMT (Main Card) |
| USA | DAZN | 12:00 PM EST |
Estimated ringwalk: ~6:00 PM GMT / 1:00 PM EST.
A full night of quality British boxing — don’t miss a fight:
When is Heaney vs Warburton? Saturday, March 28, 2026 at Co-op Live Arena, Manchester. Estimated ringwalk ~6:00 PM GMT / 1:00 PM EST.
Why is Heaney vs Warburton significant? Heaney is a former British Middleweight Champion looking to relaunch his title campaign after losing his belt to Brad Pauls. The added edge: Pauls is fighting on the same card, one bout earlier in the evening.
Has Nathan Heaney beaten quality opposition? Yes. His majority decision win over three-time British champion Denzel Bentley in November 2023 remains one of the standout domestic middleweight results in recent years.
How to watch Heaney vs Warburton? Live on DAZN in the UK and globally. Main card starts at 5:00 PM GMT.
Is Gerome Warburton dangerous? He is a southpaw with 20 fights of experience whose awkward angles pose genuine problems for orthodox fighters. However, his TKO loss to Kieron Conway in May 2025 raises durability questions, and his 13% KO rate suggests his best path runs through the scorecards.
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