Jack “Demolition Man” Rafferty has never lost a professional fight. Ekow “The Engine” Essuman has beaten Josh Taylor, gone 12 rounds with the elite of British super lightweight boxing, and won’t be moved. On May 9, 2026, these two collide at the Co-OP LIVE Arena in Manchester on the Wardley vs Dubois undercard — and the British super lightweight picture could look very different by the final bell.
| Date | May 9, 2026 |
| Venue | Co-OP LIVE Arena, Manchester |
| Division | Super Lightweight (140 lb) |
| Rounds | 10 |
| Broadcast | DAZN PPV (UK & US) |
Jack Rafferty (26-0-1) is one of British boxing’s most exciting unbeaten prospects at 140 lb. The 29-year-old Englishman has stopped 20 of his 27 opponents — his TKO wins over Cory O’Regan, MacMillan, and Turner in 2024-25 show a fighter who hunts the finish and finds it. The draw with Mark Chamberlain in August 2025 was his closest call, and will have taught him how it feels when the other man has comparable ability and doesn’t fade.
His 0 on the loss column and 26 wins make him the frontrunner on paper. But Rafferty has not yet beaten a fighter with Essuman’s quality or experience.
Ekow Essuman (22-2) is a 36-year-old veteran who has earned everything the hard way. His unanimous decision over Josh Taylor in May 2025 — over 12 rounds against a former unified junior welterweight world champion — is the defining win of his career and one of the best results in British boxing that year. His two losses come to Catterall (TKO11) and Scarff — defeats against legitimate elite-level opposition.
With 186 career rounds under his belt, Essuman brings a level of ring intelligence and endurance that Rafferty hasn’t faced before. He doesn’t need to knock Rafferty out to win — he just needs to outwork him across 10 rounds and keep “The Demolition Man” from pinning him down.
| Jack Rafferty | Ekow Essuman | |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 29 | 36 |
| Record | 26-0-1 | 22-2 |
| Height | 5’9” | 5’10” |
| Stance | Orthodox | Orthodox |
| Career Rounds | ~130 | 186 |
Jack Rafferty — Last 5 Fights
| Result | Opponent | Method | Rnd |
|---|---|---|---|
| D | Mark Chamberlain | D | 12 |
| W | Cory O’Regan | TKO | 5 |
| W | MacMillan | TKO | 7 |
| W | Turner | TKO | 9 |
| W | Jaishankar | TKO | 3 |
Ekow Essuman — Last 5 Fights
| Result | Opponent | Method | Rnd |
|---|---|---|---|
| L | Jack Catterall | TKO | 11 |
| W | Josh Taylor | UD | 12 |
| W | Ben Vaughan | MD | 10 |
| W | Owen Cooper | TKO | 10 |
| L | Harry Scarff | UD | 12 |
Rafferty is the aggressor — he comes forward, works the body, and looks for the stoppage. His TKO record shows a fighter who wears opponents down with sustained pressure and lands the big shot late. He hasn’t been beyond 12 rounds against a truly elite operator.
Essuman is the boxer-fighter. He demonstrated against Taylor that he can go the full championship distance against a high-volume, physical opponent and win on the scorecards. His endurance advantage — 186 rounds vs ~130 — is significant. If this fight goes deep, Essuman’s experience becomes a genuine weapon.
The key battleground is rounds 4-7. If Rafferty hasn’t made significant inroads by the halfway point, Essuman’s experience will guide him home on the judges’ cards. If Rafferty has Essuman hurt or fatigued before then, the finish is on.
Jack Rafferty wins if:
Ekow Essuman wins if:
This is the fight of the night on the undercard. Rafferty’s unbeaten record and finishing instinct against Essuman’s elite-level résumé — it genuinely could go either way.
Our prediction: Jack Rafferty by TKO, Round 8. Rafferty’s younger legs and sustained pressure will begin to tell after the midway point. Essuman’s experience keeps it competitive through six, but Rafferty’s accumulative body work opens him up for the finish. Close, excellent fight — but the unbeaten record survives.
| Country | Broadcaster | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 🇬🇧 UK | DAZN PPV | 5:30 PM BST |
| 🇺🇸 US | DAZN PPV | 12:30 PM ET |
Rafferty vs Essuman is on the undercard of Fabio Wardley vs Daniel Dubois at Co-OP LIVE Manchester. Also on the card: David Morrell vs Zak Chelli, Liam Cameron vs Bradley Rea, and Khaleel Majid vs Gavin Gwynne.
When is Jack Rafferty vs Ekow Essuman? May 9, 2026 at the Co-OP LIVE Arena, Manchester, on the Wardley vs Dubois undercard.
What weight is Rafferty vs Essuman? Super lightweight (140 lb / 63.5 kg).
How do I watch Rafferty vs Essuman? DAZN PPV — UK and US, part of the Wardley vs Dubois card.
What is Jack Rafferty’s record? Rafferty is 26-0-1 with the majority of his wins coming by stoppage.
What was Ekow Essuman’s biggest win? Essuman’s unanimous decision over Josh Taylor in May 2025, over 12 rounds, is the standout result of his career.
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