DANNY ‘Hurricane’ Quartermaine, ranked No 14 in the world by the WBO at 130lbs, has told top promoters: ‘Come and get me.’
The 27-year-old crowdpleaser from Leamington Spa is a free agent after talks broke down about a rematch with Jack Bateson on a GBM show.
Quartermaine and Bateson fought out a technical draw in Sheffield in December and GBM had the rematch pencilled in for their show in Doncaster on May 23, which will be topped by Terri Harper defending her WBO lightweight title.
Bateson took to social media to express his anger after the fight fell through and his supporters branded Quartermaine “a bottle job.”
Quartermaine explained why he didn’t agree to the fight, insists the rematch that he describes as “a great British dust up” will still happen and says he is willing to talk to all promoters.
He said: “We agreed straight after the first fight that we would run it back and they agreed to come to the Midlands.
“That seemed fair seeing as I had to ask my supporters to go to Sheffield just before Christmas for the first fight.
“I need to listen to my supporters because without them I wouldn’t be where I am and you’re looking at a three-hour journey to Doncaster for the rematch.
“That isn’t fair on my supporters.”
Quartermaine started out as a pro in 2020, selling tickets on small hall shows around the Midlands.
He built a reputation as an all-action fighter during a 90-bout amateur apprenticeship with Cleary’s ABC and his ‘Hurricane’ style has taken him to a 12-0-1 record in the pros.
Quartermaine had a breakthrough win over Jack Hillier in a battle of unbeatens and was then snapped up by GBM.
They staged his battles for the WBO and IBF European belts against Alex Rat (17-6-2) and James Chereji (20-4), respectively, in Coventry.
Quartermaine sold hundreds of tickets for the shows at the Skydome and wants the Bateson rematch in the Midlands.
“I understand why his supporters say I’m a bottle job,” he said, “but if that was the case why would I have gone up there in the first place.
“I went into his backyard and put my two titles on the line.
“After the first fight his team agreed to come to the Midlands for the rematch and that’s fair because I travelled to Sheffield.”
The first fight was ruled a technical draw in the second round after both fighters were cut following a head clash.
Quartermaine said: “Leading up to the fight they made comments about my head, but if you watch the fight back you will see it was his head that caused the cut.
“It wasn’t my head that was the issue.”
Quartermaine felt the fight was going his way before the premature ending. “I expected him to be sharper,” he said. “I think he knew by the time the fight ended that it was going to be a hard night. It’s never an easy fight against Danny Quartermaine.”
