Owen Cooper and Constantin Ursu Set for British Welterweight Title Fight

Owen Cooper meets Constantin Ursu on February 28 at Valliant Live in Derby with the vacant British welterweight title and Commonwealth belt both up for grabs. The DAZN-streamed card also features Luke McCormack against Kane Gardner over ten rounds at super lightweight, and Ben Fail taking on Mason Cartwright at middleweight.

Ursu holds the Commonwealth strap after stopping Eithan James last March. The 25-year-old from Moldova, now training out of Plymouth, sits at 14-0 with six knockouts. He defended that title and added the WBO European belt with a win over Ryan Amos in November. His unbeaten record puts him in position to claim domestic honours, but Cooper represents a stern examination of where he actually stands.

Cooper Returns After Essuman Setback

Cooper bounced back from his 2024 loss to Ekow Essuman in a WBO European title fight by beating Chris Kongo last May in Nottingham. The Worcester fighter, 11-1 with four knockouts, had earlier beaten James for the WBO European and English titles. That James connection creates an interesting thread through this fight, given both men have faced him with different outcomes. Cooper’s willingness to regroup after the Essuman defeat suggests he knows what’s required at this level.

The undercard provides context for how Queensberry sees these developing fighters. McCormack, 4-0 with three stoppages, steps up sharply by facing Gardner in just his fifth professional outing. The Sunderland Olympian has only gone eight rounds once before. Gardner brings 18 wins against five losses and went ten rounds with Pierce O’Leary in a 2023 WBC International title fight. He dropped a close Central Area title decision to Reece MacMillan late last year, losing by a single round in a fight that would have set up a shot at Jack Rafferty.

Fail Faces Proven Opposition in Cartwright

Fail remains unbeaten through ten fights with five knockouts, but Cartwright offers something different. The Ellesmere Port fighter has challenged for the British title twice, losing to Troy Williamson and Samuel Antwi. Every defeat on his 23-4 record came in title fights. He’s won four straight and knows how to make these situations difficult. Fail will learn where he fits if he gets through this one cleanly.

Whether Cooper or Ursu claims the British title depends on who adapts better to the added pressure. Both have shown they can win domestic-level fights, but neither has held this particular belt before. The outcome won’t settle much beyond February 28, but it will clarify who deserves the next opportunity and who needs to rebuild.