Ealing Boxer Manny Safari Turns Professional With World-Title Ambitions

One of Ealing's most promising young sporting talents is taking the biggest step of his career, as 19-year-old boxer Mohammed "Manny" Safari signs with Frank Warren's Queensberry Promotions and prepares to make his professional debut at The O2.

For most 19-year-olds, competing at an Olympic Games would represent the ultimate sporting ambition.

For Manny Safari, however, there is another prize in his sights.

The Ealing-born boxer has chosen to turn professional rather than pursue a place at the 2028 Olympic Games, signing a long-term promotional agreement with Frank Warren's Queensberry Promotions.

And Safari has made his ultimate ambition clear: he wants to become a world champion — and make Ealing proud along the way.

At a Glance

• Mohammed "Manny" Safari is 19 years old
• He was born and raised in Ealing
• He attended Dormers Wells High School in Southall
• Safari began boxing at around 10 years old
• He has won multiple national titles and European medals
• He became Youth European champion in 2025
• He was named England Boxing's Boxer of the Year
• Safari has signed with Queensberry Promotions
• He chose professional boxing rather than pursuing the 2028 Olympics
• His professional debut is scheduled for 17 October 2026 at The O2 in London
• He will appear on the Daniel Dubois v Fabio Wardley II undercard. 

From Ealing Schoolboy to Professional Boxer

Safari's journey began much closer to home.

Born and raised in Ealing, he attended Dormers Wells High School in Southall before boxing increasingly became the focus of his life.

He started the sport at around 10 years old and developed into one of England's leading young amateur boxers.

His amateur career brought national titles, international competition and European medals, culminating in a particularly successful 2025.

Safari became Youth European champion and was subsequently named England Boxing's Boxer of the Year.

Now he has decided the time is right to leave amateur boxing behind. 

Choosing the Professional Ring Over the Olympics

The timing makes Safari's decision particularly interesting.

At 19, he could have continued through the amateur system with the goal of competing at the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 2028.

Instead, Safari and his family decided that his development would be better served by entering professional boxing now.

He has signed promotional terms with Queensberry Promotions, the company headed by veteran British boxing promoter Frank Warren. Queensberry currently lists Safari among its professional prospects. 

Safari described signing with Queensberry as a dream come true and said he believes this is the right moment to begin a new chapter.

More significantly for Ealing supporters, the young boxer has already spoken about wanting to represent his home area as his career develops.

His ambitions extend all the way to eventually winning a world championship.

A Family Journey

Behind Safari's success is also a family story.

His father, Saf Safari, has played a central role in his development, spending years accompanying his son to training sessions and competitions around the country.

That commitment began when Manny was still a child.

Nine years later, father and son are preparing to enter an entirely different level of the sport as professional boxing replaces amateur tournaments.

First Professional Fight at The O2

Safari will not have long to wait for his professional introduction.

His debut is scheduled for Saturday 17 October 2026 at The O2 in London.

And it is hardly a low-key first appearance.

Safari is due to box on the undercard of the heavyweight rematch between Daniel Dubois and Fabio Wardley.

Current card information lists Safari for a four-round professional contest, with his opponent still to be confirmed. 

For a teenager making his first professional appearance, performing at The O2 on a major Queensberry card provides an unusually prominent introduction to the paid ranks.

Frank Warren Backs Ealing Prospect

Safari's amateur achievements have clearly caught the attention of Frank Warren and his team.

Queensberry announced the signing in September and described Safari as an outstanding amateur prospect.

Warren highlighted both the teenager's talent and his extensive achievements in amateur boxing when welcoming him to the promotion. 

The agreement gives Safari something every promising young professional needs: a pathway.

Signing with an established promoter can provide access to larger events, television exposure and progressively more demanding opponents as a boxer's career develops.

But the results inside the ring will ultimately determine how far he goes.

From Southall Classroom to The O2

For Ealing Spotlight, perhaps the most compelling part of Safari's story is how local it is.

This is a young man who was born and raised in Ealing and went to school in Southall.

On 17 October, he is scheduled to walk into the ring at one of Britain's biggest entertainment venues as a professional boxer for the first time.

What happens after that remains to be written.

Professional boxing is notoriously difficult, and promising amateur careers do not automatically translate into professional titles.

But Safari is entering the sport with an impressive amateur pedigree, a major promoter behind him and considerable ambition.

At only 19, there could be a long journey ahead.

And if Manny Safari eventually achieves his stated goal of bringing home a world championship, Ealing will be able to say it was there at the very beginning.

Ealing Spotlight