18-year-old heavyweight prospect Atang makes successful pro debut

18-year-old heavyweight Leo Atang made a successful pro debut today in Manchester.

18-year-old heavyweight prospect Leo Atang was successful in his pro boxing debut today, stopping Bulgarian veteran Milen Paunov in the first round.

Atang (1-0, 1 KO) is envisioned by Matchroom as their eventual star heavyweight replacement for Anthony Joshua, whom Atang has said he has idolized.

Atang dropped Paunov on body shots in the first round, and kept that target when his opponent got up to resume the fight, until referee Steve Gray stopped the bout at 2:29 of the opening round.

The 6’6” Atang, who weighed in at 226 lbs for the fight, won the U-19 World Championships as an amateur, and decided to turn pro rather than chasing more medals.

“Hopefully, I impressed everyone out there tonight,” Atang said after the fight. “I seen I hurt him straight away. ... I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous, it’d be weird if I wasn’t. But I also feel it helps you switch on, focus, and get the job done out there.”

Hearn said that the tagline of Atang right now is definitely “next Anthony Joshua,” but that everyone involved is aware of how much work will go into that lofty goal.

“The reality is it takes a long time to get there. I watched him win the world U-19 championship, and I knew he could fight,” Hearn said. “I believe that is the start of the journey to the world heavyweight championship.”

“He’s not an arrogant guy, he doesn’t talk rubbish all the time, he’s a genuine, honest guy,” Hearn added. “Told me (earlier) he was nervous. But to come out here in front of the world at 18 years of age, and deliver a performance like that, goes to show you the potential of this young man. And he’s a great young man.”