By Matt Bevan

Scottish promoter Sam Kynoch, who heads up MTK Scotland, has revealed that he is looking to bring the Scottish titles back to their deserved relevance alongside all other promoters across the border as Scottish boxing continues to grow.

He has already promoted his first card of 2017, where David Brophy prepared for his March 17 Commonwealth super-middleweight title shot in Melbourne, Australia against Zac Dunn with a six-round points win over Kirill Psonko at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Glasgow.

Kynoch also gave us updates on the growing MTK brand, as well as his thoughts on boxing in Scotland and the deal he signed with BoxNation last year as he aims to become the number one across the border.

He told Boxing Scene: “It’s great to get underway with 2017 after a fantastic 2016. David got a good win in his tune up fight and will now fully focus his attention on Zac Dunn. It was good to see Stephen Tiffney, Gary Murray and the UK’s youngest heavyweight Jay McFarlane all pick up wins too.

“The brand is growing and we’re working very hard to add more fighters and put on more shows in various locations across Scotland, where boxing is on the whole in a very healthy state. Before promoters built around the headliners with the likes of Scott Harrison, Alex Arthur and Ricky Burns, there wasn’t much else around and we hung on their coattails, but it’s different now.

“Along with the other promoters there is a tremendous amount of activity now and we have BoxNation with our shows now, which attracts more to the stable. It gives the fighters TV exposure and they can work towards the relevant goals, knowing that they are now behind us.

“I’m hoping that now we can all as promoters start pushing the Scottish Area titles back to the relevance they deserve and put on some great fights which will only keep the interest building.”

The Scottish Area title was last contested on January 19, at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Glasgow as Kash Farooq outpointed Scott Allan to claim the crown on points.

But that crown is one which evaded the aforementioned Simmons who has won Celtic and WBC International Silver cruiserweight titles in his time so far as a pro.

Kynoch, however, is excited about the future and is looking to bring the aforementioned ‘Simbo’ through to title contention.

“We’re looking to get Stephen Simmons as big an opportunity as possible, whether that is the British title or beyond,” he continued to tell ‘Scene. “He was, at one point last year, going to fight WBO world champion Oleksandr Usyk and took Noel Gevor, a fight he took in an instant at short notice, to a split decision in Germany, which tells you all you need to know about the class that he belongs in.

“He trains alongside David Brophy with Billy Nelson where they feed off one another and I hope now that will happen with Gary Cornish who has joined us. It’s good to see him back after the loss to Anthony Joshua, which there is no shame in when you look at Joshua’s current standing as a world champion.

“We want to get him in the picture for the British title very soon as well. Keep your eye out for a couple of others including Tommy Philbin, who is 7-0 at light heavyweight. He will be taking on Grant Quigley in June in a real grudge match. They are 1-1 in the amateurs.

“We have a strong stable that is always growing, with more turning over all the time. There is more competition now in British boxing with the new TV companies, so the unhealthy, pretty much dominant monopoly that Sky could well be over. Fighters have more chances now and we’re confident that our lads will take them with both hands when they are giving one.”