Former Southall pupil Manny Safari begins professional boxing career
Fri 02 Oct 2026
Mohammed “Manny” Safari, 19, has agreed promotional terms with Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions and will make his professional debut at The O2 in London on 17 October 2026.
Safari, who grew up in Ealing and attended Dormers Wells High School in Southall, will feature on the undercard of the heavyweight rematch between Daniel Dubois and Fabio Wardley.
His move into professional boxing follows a highly successful amateur career. Queensberry says Safari became a nine-time national champion and three-time British champion, while his achievements also include winning European Championship gold in 2025.
Safari first took up boxing at the age of 10 and developed through the amateur system with Ring ABC. He has been coached and supported throughout his career by his family, with his father playing an important role in his development.
Rather than continuing towards the 2028 Olympic Games, Safari and his team have decided that the time is right to begin his professional career.
The teenager has previously said that becoming a professional boxer and joining Queensberry was a major ambition, with long-term hopes of competing for a world championship.
His first professional contest will take place as part of Queensberry's “Run It Back” event at The O2 on Saturday, 17 October. The main event will see Dubois and Wardley meet again in a heavyweight world-title contest.
For Safari, the October bout marks the beginning of a new chapter after years of success in amateur boxing.
His professional record will start from zero when he walks into the ring at The O2, with the next stage of his career now getting underway under the Queensberry banner.
Photo of the O2 by Sandra Tan on Unsplash
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