Boxing: Craig McEwan signs contract with DiBella

The middleweight star, who turns 31 today, faces English opponent Alastair Warren tonight at Kilmarnock’s Grand Hall as he looks to celebrate the dawn of a new era with victory in Ayrshire.

New York-based DiBella Entertainment has shown faith in McEwan, who was once a prodigy of Golden Boy Promotions and lived in Los Angeles for seven years before returning home to his native Scotland early last year.

McEwan admits to being perplexed at the stance taken by some British promoters in his attempts to assure potential suitors he still has what it takes to box at the very top, however, he remains undeterred by any reluctance shown on their part and is grateful for an opportunity he fully intends to make the most of.

“I’ve put myself out for over a year now with British promoters and not one has really shown much interest,” McEwan said. “I spoke to Eddie Hearn, Frank Warren and guys like that but none of them could do anything for me.

“But I now have got a promoter in Lou DiBella who shares the same vision as myself and I am sure will get me back into the mix. He’s American but I started out there as a pro and I don’t mind going back over to the US to fight if needs must.”

Tonight’s show, which is being promoted by Alex Morrison, presents McEwan with his first competitive bout in more than four months, his last appearance coming at Meadowbank in December where he delivered a knock-out to Polish opponent Mariusz Biskupski in the second round.

McEwan added: I want a title of some sort and I am sure Lou DiBella can deliver me that. Lou’s told me to get a decent win tonight and then we will speak about bigger and better things.

“Alex (Morrison) has said if I am looking good then he will maybe try and get me on the Ricky Burns show on May 11 so it would be good to get involved in that as well.”