Merseyside hero Derry Mathews is looking to mark his 50th professional fight with a world title win against WBO Lightweight Champion Terry Flanagan.
The big-hitting Scouser has fought some tough opposition down years including Anthony Crolla and Stephen Ormond and is gearing up for another big test at the Liverpool Echo Arena on Saturday 12th March, live and exclusive on BoxNation.
The 32-year-old has been one of the busiest fighters in Merseyside in recent years and boasts an impressive 20 stoppages from 38 career wins. Since making his professional debut back in 2003 Mathews has won World, British Commonwealth and World title honours and wants to mark his big night with another belt.
“When I first turned professional at the age of 18 I had no idea I’d enjoy such a long and fulfilling career. If somebody had told me I’d be fighting for a world title in my 50th fight I wouldn’t have believed them. Not many people get to 50 fights and I’m lucky that I’m still around and I’m still the same person inside and outside the ring,” said Mathews.
He added: “I’m a dedicated fighter and I love the sport but a lot of it is down to all of my coaches and the people that have supported me; they’ve looked after me. I’ve been involved in some tough fights but I’m still here and I’m feeling fitter than ever. I was put in some hard fights as kid when I was 18 and 19 but they helped toughen me up.”
With just three weeks to go to the massive showdown Mathews is putting in the hours with trainer Danny Vaughan and says he’s never felt in better shape.
He said: “I’m feeling young, fresh and probably in the peak of my career. I can still do things I could do when I was 18 and I can do them better now as well. I’m a top athlete, the day I stop being a top athlete is the day I’ll walk away from boxing but at the moment I’m feeling stronger than ever and I’m ready to become a world champion.”
‘Dirty’ Derry has vowed to beat his bitter Mancunian rival in what he says will be his last shot at a world title and is confident that he could carry on boxing for many years to come. The likeable Scouser has been involved in some gruelling contests and say he’s earned his title shot the hard way.
He said: “After March 12th there’s nothing stopping me from going on and making ten title defences to get to 60 fights. For now I’m fully focused on making the big 50 a special night. What better way to win a world title than in my own city against a Manc? It doesn’t get better than that,”
“Some boxers get a shot at a world title after 20 or so fights and most of them lose. People use them as a defence but I’ve done it the hard way; I’m coming to win. I’ve had some great nights in Liverpool and some bad nights but this one is going to be special.”
Flanagan v Mathews headlines an action packed card that also features one of the worlds greatest boxers, Guillermo Rigondeaux, taking on Merseyside hero Jazza Dickens; another star of world boxing, dynamite punching South African Zolani Tete challenges for the Vacant IBF International Bantamweight Championship against Jose Santos Gonzalez; Birmingham ace Tommy Langford defends his WBO Intercontinental Middleweight title against Lewis Taylor; hard-hitting Ellesmere Port's star Paul Butler will challenge for a championship belt; Blackpool's Matty Askin defends his English Cruiserweight title against Swindon's Lawrence Bennett, plus Indian superstar Vijender Singh makes his Liverpool debut. The undercard features some of the best talent in Merseyside: undefeated leading world title contender Kevin Satchell; red-hot prospect Steven Lewis; European Champion Ryan Farrag; Manchester prospects Macaulay McGowan and Zelfa Barrett and Leicester ace Lyon Woodstock complete the card.
Isaac Lowe wants fan power to roar him to victory as he challenges Marco McCullough for the vacant Commonwealth Featherweight title at the Manchester Arena on Saturday night (February 27) live on Sky Sports Box Office.
Lowe and McCullough clash on a bumper bill in the famous boxing arena, where Belfast’s IBF Super-Bantamweight king Carl Frampton MBE meets WBA champion Scott Quigg in their unification blockbuster.
Frampton brings a legion of fans over from Belfast who will be backing McCullough to land his first major title, but Lowe has warned him that the local fans are just as passionate and they will push him on to add the Commonwealth strap to his English title.
“They keep saying about all the Irish fans that will be here tonight but there will be a lot of English in too,” said Lowe. “I'm a North West boxer and I hope the North West fans will get behind me. I might get a few boos when I get in to the ring from the Belfast fans but I've been brought up getting called bad names and getting booed so it's just going to inspire me even more to go in there and prove them all wrong. When the fight has finished they will be clapping for me at the end of the night, so I'm looking forward to it and looking forward to proving so many people wrong.”
Lowe landed the English belt in September in Leeds with a ninth round stoppage win over Jamie Speight and held onto it in this arena in November via a split draw against Ryan Doyle.
Lowe turned 22 in January and can now hold two major belts with the prospect of more to come for the winner in 2016 – and the Morecambe youngster still cannot believe how far he’s come in the last year.
“To win the Commonwealth title would be a dream come true,” said Lowe. “I never thought that at the age of 22 I would be fighting for the Commonwealth title on such a big bill on Sky Sports Box Office. To win this I would have conquered so much in my career so early. I am probably 15 months ahead of myself but you have to take the chances when they come.
“After winning this there will be so many big fights ahead of me and so many good boxers wanting to fight me. I can develop into the weight division and I'll be even better in a couple of years’ time when I start peaking at my weight. At 24 or 25 years old I could be contesting World titles, which is what my aim is. But first I have to get through tonight and develop into my weight division properly.
“It has been a rollercoaster journey last 12 months for me. From fighting in front of 600 people on a small hall show I got my English title shot on the big show in Leeds. It’s thanks to Steve Wood and Eddie Hearn for getting me on these massive shows.
“I never thought in my wildest dreams that at the age of 22 I would be fighting on such big shows as Anthony Crolla’s World title and Josh Warrington’s European title fight. Now I am on one of the biggest shows we have seen in Britain with Carl Frampton and Scott Quigg fighting and I am looking forward to it so much.”
Lowe’s battle with McCullough is part of a huge night of action in Manchester as Frampton and Quigg put their IBF and WBA Super-Bantamweight titles on the line in a blockbuster bout.
Gavin McDonnell faces Jorge Sanchez for the WBC Silver Super-Bantamweight title and an official eliminator for the WBC World title, Manchester’s Hosea Burton faces Miles Shinkwin for the vacant British Light-Heavyweight title and Belfast’s Ryan Burnett takes on Frenchman Anthony Settoul for the vacant WBC International Bantamweight title.
Unbeaten Flyweight Charlie Edwards meets Belfast’s Luke Wilton, while there’s action for Commonwealth gold medallists Josh Taylor and Scott Fitzgerald, Conrad Cummings and Marcus Morrison.
Charlie Edwards says he must prove he’s ready to fight for major titles this year by kicking-off with a KO win over Belfast’s Luke Wilton at the sold-out Manchester Arena on Saturday night (February 27) live on Sky Sports Box Office.
Edwards clashes with Wilton on the undercard of the huge World Super-Bantamweight unification battle between Carl Frampton MBE and Scott Quigg, and he knows Wilton is going to have a large backing on the night.
The 23 year old landed the English title in his fifth fight and made a successful first defence here in November, and Edwards says tonight represents a huge platform for him to land more big fights this year, with the likes of former European and Commonwealth champion Kevin Satchell on his radar.
“I feel Luke is made for me,” said Edwards. “Luke is an experienced fighter who has been in Kevin Satchell and more recently Lee Haskins. Luke comes forward, he is a plodder - I know I’ll beat him comfortably. With his experience, he will think he can ‘rough me up’ but I will outbox and trade with him if needs be.
“No disrespect to Luke - but quite simply I need to be blowing people like this away if I want to get to the top. Haskins got him out of there in two rounds so I’m determined to make a similar statement.
“The quality of sparring I’ve had for this fight has been the best I’ve ever had. I’ve been sparring Angel Moreno who is fighting for a European title shortly, and trust me I’ve been holding my own. It’s been great experience for me as I’ve learnt so much but also I know I’m not too far away from that level.
“Satchell is someone I have my sights set on in the not too distant future, he would be a good scalp for me. I want all the big names and all the tough fights as I’m confident I can beat them all. The progression I’ve shown already with Danny Vaughan has shown me that we can go right to the top together.”
Edwards’ clash with Wilton is part of a huge night of action in Manchester as Frampton and Quigg put their IBF and WBA Super-Bantamweight titles on the line in a blockbuster bout.
Gavin McDonnell faces Jorge Sanchez for the WBC Silver Super-Bantamweight title and an official eliminator for the WBC World title, Manchester’s Hosea Burton faces Miles Shinkwin for the vacant British Light-Heavyweight title and Belfast’s Ryan Burnett takes on Frenchman Anthony Settoul for the vacant WBC International Bantamweight title.
Belfast’s Marco McCullough faces Morecambe’s Isaac Lowe for the vacant Commonwealth Featherweight title, while there’s action for Commonwealth gold medallists Josh Taylor and Scott Fitzgerald, Conrad Cummings and Marcus Morrison.
Belvedere super-featherweight king George Jupp wants to bag himself a British title.
The jab and move specialist, who is unbeaten in over four years, makes the first defence of his WBO Inter-Continental title on Saturday 2nd April at Harrow Leisure Centre, live and exclusive on BoxNation.
Last time out the 25-year-old upset the odds to inflict a first defeat on Boxing Writer’s Young Boxer of the Year and former sparring partner Mitchell Smith. The self-confessed ‘trainerholic’ wasted no time in getting back in the gym and is gearing up for a busy 2016.
He said: “This year is all about staying unbeaten and racking up the wins. I’m guessing with this Inter-Continental title if I carry on winning it’ll push me right up the rankings. Hopefully if I stay unbeaten and get some good fights with big names I’ll get a shot at the British title eventually; that’s my goal at the minute and all I’m concentrating on,”
“I don’t want to get ahead of myself, I’m going to take things one fight at a time and see where it takes me. Winning the British title outright is my dream and anything on top of that would be a bonus. Until you’ve reached that level you don’t know if you’re capable of going on to bigger things.”
The one time scaffolder is chomping at the chance to showcase his skills to BoxNation viewers again after overcoming the swaggering starlet Smith with a points win and says he’d be open to a rematch somewhere down the line.
“We’ll have to see what comes around but I would be up for that fight again. I know he said that he didn’t box to his full potential and he made a few mistakes in training in the lead up to the fight so I’m sure he’d like another crack at me,” said Jupp.
He added: “I still don’t think I boxed 100% in that fight so there’s a lot of things we can improve on. I did a few things wrong and when I made him make mistakes I didn’t always make him pay for them so we’ve been working on that in the gym. It definitely gave my career a boost, a lot of people got to see me fight and I hadn’t really been involved in a big show like that before so it was good.”
The humble Jupp, who turned pro at 19, is coached and managed by ex-pro welterweight Derek Grainger at the Ringside Gym in Bow, East London. Currently enjoying a nine fight winning streak, Jupp is looking to test himself against the very best in Britain.
He said: “I don’t really zone in on one person. I would say the top two are Liam Walsh and Stephen Smith are a bit further ahead than everyone else but there’s some good names below them in the top ten. There’s some exciting domestic fights to be made and I’d be happy to fight anyone if it’s good for my career.”
Welshman Liam Williams headlines the show when he defends his British and Commonwealth Super-Welterweight titles against Rotherham’s Nav Mansouri.
Chief support on the card sees Belvedere’s George Jupp, fresh from his massive upset of Mitchell Smith in December, make the first defence of his WBO Intercontinental Super-Featherweight title.
Asian boxers are the new powerhouse in the sport and a strong contingent led by Indian superstar and Olympic Bronze Medalist Vijender Singh, plus hot Acton flyweight prospect Prince Patel, the professional debuts of amateur stars Sanjeev Sahota from Romford, and the Prince Naseem Hamed prodigy from Staines-upon-Thames Tony Bange.
Big-punching Southampton super-welterweight Joe Pigford, exciting Harrow welterweight prospect Jez Smith, younger brother of Mitchell, and rising West Ham super-lightweight talent Ben Smith complete the card.
Tickets priced at £45 Unreserved and and £65 Ringside Reserved are available from www.eventim.co.uk or 0844 249 1000 and www.ticketmaster.co.uk or 0844 844 0444
The Channel Of Champions, BoxNation, will televise live and exclusive on Sky 437/HD 490, Virgin 546, TalkTalk 415 and Freeview 255. Subscribe at www.boxnation.com or watch online at watch.boxnation.com and via iPhone, iPad or Android and Amazon devices.
