Payton Promotions’ boxer Josh Bowles is set to make his 2nd professional appearance on July 29th in Philadelphia’s South Philly Arena. Bowles, a Harrisburg native, is currently 1-0. He made his professional debut in his hometown back in February; a fight in which he scored a dominant decision victory over Philadelphia boxer Jonathan Ocassio.

Bowles young career has not gone without adversity however. Recently he was scheduled to compete in a show in Reading, PA, however, the fight fell through after his opponent pulled out last minute.“It’s never easy when something like that happens,” Bowles said. “We were at peak level as far as training was going and we were ready to fight. “

Where many boxers have been discouraged by such an event, Bowles took the news in stride. “This is nothing new, it happened to me all the time as an amateur so I’m used to it, the only difference is now there’s money involved.  The key is to stay positive and keep your eye on the prize.” The prize, of course being victory.

Although his opponent for the fight on July 29th is not yet known, Bowles is confident that he will be prepared for whoever his opposition is. “Training is going wonderful. I’m in great shape and eager to get in the ring.”

During his days as an accomplished amateur, which saw him win 3 Pennsylvania Gold Glove titles, Bowles became fairly well known amongst coaches, trainers and boxers in the Philadelphia area. The common fan from Philadelphia, however, might not yet know who Josh is and that’s something that Bowles is very eager to change. “My first fight was in my hometown which was great. There were a lot of people that came out to support me, and that was amazing,” Bowles stated. “After July 29th the boxing fans in Philadelphia are going to know who Josh Bowles is. I’m not just going to win; I’m going to win impressively.”

Andre Kut with KEA boxing will be promoting the July 29th event in the South Philly Arena. As it stands, the card will feature seven bouts. The start time for the event is still to be determined.