by Luke Cawdell

Olympic gold medallist James DeGale headlines Kent’s biggest ever night of boxing at Bluewater on Saturday.

And promoter Mick Hennessy believes the Glow venue at the shopping complex is the perfect site for championship boxing now – and in the future.

DeGale, gold medallist in Beijing, only recently joined Hennessy’s stable and the promoter is thrilled to be able to send his new man out at Glow in front of live television cameras and a 2,700 capacity crowd.

"We live and work in Kent and we have been looking at Bluewater as a venue for a long time. It’s taken about a year to get everything in place," said Hennessy, whose boxing business is based in Keston.

"It’s a perfect place for us to go to and we are already on the way to becoming a sell-out. Next time, with extra licences in place, Bluewater could hold 4,500.

"James is a high-profile signing and he has incredible talent. He has the potential to be a superstar."

DeGale fights Frenchman Hadillah Mohoumadi for the European super middleweight title and choosing Bluewater as a venue was a no-brainer for Hennessy.

He said: "It’s a fantastic complex and what a better way to spend the day. You can park free, no problem, do your shopping and chores and maybe then have a relaxing meal and walk over to the venue. It makes it easy for people."

For those not attending, the show will be going out live from 10pm on Channel 5. Tickets, meanwhile, are available from £30 at the box office on 01925 75522 or 0844 888 4402. Boxing starts at 5.30pm.