For the first time in five years, Ekow Essuman finds himself without a belt, but the former British and Commonwealth welterweight champion has picked up the scent of another title.

Essuman, who will challenge English welterweight champion Owen Cooper (10-0, 4 KOs) in Birmingham, England, on Saturday night, seems revitalized by the thrill of the hunt.

“As a hunter, you get to sharpen your tools, and mine are razor-sharp,” Essuman said. “I’ve got all the experience to know how to use them and when to use them and do it with a smile.”

Essuman (19-1, 7 KOs) is a young 35, but he has been around long enough to understand that – in any walk of life – a smart, ambitious newcomer will patiently wait for the smallest sign of vulnerability in an older, established leader before choosing their moment to attack. Essuman picked his own moment expertly when he took the British and Commonwealth titles from experienced Welshman Chris Jenkins back in 2021. 

He will be fully aware that the germ of the idea of taking him on probably first took root in Cooper’s mind when Harry Scarff relieved Essuman of his titles last November.

Cooper admits that he and his team earmarked Essuman as a potential opponent some time ago, and once he had proven himself ready to take on the best of British boxing by impressively tracking down and stopping the skillful, unbeaten Eithan James in nine rounds in March, the timing for a fight felt perfect.

Essuman is known as “The Engine” due to his relentless work rate, but the awkward, rangy Scarff never allowed him to crank into gear, negating him. Eight months have passed since that night. Essuman understands his own body and has had more than enough time to analyze whether the subpar performance he put in against Scarff was a one-off or indicative of a decline. 

He couldn’t give a more emphatic answer than agreeing to challenge a hungry, unbeaten young fighter for the relatively minor English title. He is determined to make Cooper pay for what he feels is an overambitious step and set himself up for another crack at a major belt.

“If it was pitched to him, and he had to, then he would take it,” Essuman said. “Everybody is gonna go for their opportunities. People probably thought there was blood in the water after the last match, but that’s to their own detriment, really.

“I’m very hungry for this fight. I’m ready for the hunt. I’m too experienced, I’m too fast, too strong, too elusive, and when that experience kicks in, it’s a different ball game. This is going to be the sixth belt I’ve won in these championship fights, and I’ve done it before.

“I know the pressure he’s going through. It’s his first title defense, there’s a lot of pressure on his shoulders, and he’s been amped up and training super-hard. He’s not experienced it yet.”