Shakan Pitters faces Daniel Blenda Dos Santos on February 7 at Canon Medical Arena in Sheffield, England. The British light heavyweight challenges the European champion from France for his 175-pound title. The pair square off in the 12-round main event live on DAZN.
Pitters (19-2, 6 KOs) steps through the ropes for the first time since September 2023, when he took a points decision against Darryl Sharp. In May of the same year, the native of Solihull, West Midlands similarly defeated Joel McIntyre. With the victory, the 35-year-old bounced back from a defeat by unanimous decision against Dan Azeez in his attempt to regain the British belt.
Riding a seven-fight winning streak, Dos Santos (22-1, 10 KOs) makes the first defense of the belt that he claimed by unanimous decision against Thomas Faure last June. The 34-year-old’s first career defeat dates back to May 2021, when he was stopped in the fourth round of his UK debut by 2016 Olympic bronze medalist and former interim WBO champion Joshua Buatsi.
“The EBU light-heavyweight championship is a big title, so I’m excited for this fight,” Shakan Pitters said. “It’s a big deal being able to say you’re the champion of Europe – the next stage is world level. At the same time, I don’t let that distract me. All my focus is on winning this fight and beating Daniel Dos Santos, I’m not looking past anyone.”
“Dos Santos is good. You have to be good to win a European championship and you have to be putting in the work, so that speaks for itself. His only ever loss is to Joshua Buatsi. He’s got a good level, but I know what I am capable of and you’ll see that on the night.”
“For me next it’s about getting this European title first and foremost. After that we will look at the next step. Izzy [Asif, GBM promoter] and my team are already working on that and obviously we have high ambitions. I know Izzy has been working on things and in 2025 we are planning to be out there in a big way.”
“For me the targets are whoever has got the titles, that’s it. I am not about naming names – if you’ve got a belt that I want, that automatically makes you a target. Right now all my focus is on Daniel Dos Santos on February 7th and taking that European light heavyweight championship off him.”
Among the bouts featured on the Pitters vs Dos Santos undercard, Tysie Gallagher meets old amateur rival Ebonie Jones. The all-British contest is scheduled for 10 rounds at super bantamweight. Gallagher puts her British, Commonwealth and European straps on the line.
Gallagher (9-2) of Luton, Bedfordshire won three fights in 2024 by decision against Tori-Ellis Willetts, Stevi Levy, and Jamillette Janitza Vallejos. Unbeaten Jones (6-0-1) of Portsmouth, Hampshire is coming off a pair of wins by decision against Consolata Musanga and Jamillette Janitza Vallejos.