Secret reason behind Newcastle United boxing trip as Eddie Howe sticks to his word six years on

Newcastle United's players and staff enjoyed a night of high-quality boxing in Riyadh on Saturday evening - and the occasion will have been especially enjoyable for Eddie Howe due to a familiar face from his Bournemouth days.

The Magpies' collective were spotted ringside in Saudi Arabia as British star Callum Billam-Smith took on Zurdo Ramirez at the top of a stacked fight card in the Middle East. Billam-Smith, a lifelong Bournemouth fan, subsequently knows Howe from his time managing the south coast outfit.

Back in 2018, the cruiserweight was preparing for the biggest fight of his career against Robin Dupre at London's famous York Hall venue. In the days before the event, Billam-Smith was given a tour of Bournemouth's training ground as he met with Howe and Tindall.

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“I felt like I was there having won a prize! It took me back to being a little kid and I was just a bit overwhelmed," the boxer said. “I got an invite from a lad from the marketing team. He got me along to meet some of the players and I had a chat with Eddie, which was nice.

“He said he remembered me and that he was going to follow my career. They were really welcoming and it was great to see the set-up down there."

Six years on and Howe stuck his promise of following the boxer's career as he watched on from ringside as Billam-Smith bravely lost to his Mexican counterpart, with Ramirez becoming unified WBA and WBO cruiserweight champion. The fight went the distance, with the victor scoring a comfortable 116-112, 116-112 and 116-113 win on the judges' scorecards.

Howe was joined at the event by Newcastle chiefs Paul Mitchell, Darren Eales and Peter Silverstone, along with the players he has been able to select for the club's warm weather trip to Saudi this weekend. The likes of Joe Willock, William Osula, Mark Gillespie, Nick Pope, Harvey Barnes and Matt Targett were in attendance along with Newcastle's coaching and physio staff.

Newcastle jetted to Saudi on Friday as they take advantage of the international break with a mid-season break to the home of the club's majority owners. The first-team are due back on Tyneside in the coming days before the visit of West Ham United.