By Terence Dooley

Brian Rose’s defeat to Max Maxwell last Friday night left a question mark over British light-middleweight champion Sam Webb’s next move.  A win would have seen Rose challenge Webb later this year only for Maxwell’s bowling right hand to put paid to the mooted contest.  ‘Mad Max’ believes that he is now next in line for a shot at Webb; however, a former British title challenger has also thrown his name into the mix.

Matthew Hall confirmed his interest in a showdown with Sam via trainer Anthony Farnell, who contacted Boxingscene to put his man forward for the task of taking on Webb.  Hall, 23-2 (16 KOs), bounced back into action with a third-stanza stoppage over Tony Randell last month, his first fight since losing to Anthony Small by eighth-round TKO in July of last year.  The 25-year-old former Commonwealth title-holder joined Farnell’s camp in the aftermath of the loss to Small, ‘Arnie’ believes that a rejuvenated Hall will give Webb more than he can handle.

“I spoke to Frank [Warren] and he said if they [Webb’s people] take it as a voluntary then we’ll have it.  Matty is up for the fight, definitely,” declared Farnell.  “I would even put up a thousand pound bet with Webb’s trainer to say that Matt would beat him – I think he’d smash Webb.”

Farnell is adamant that Hall is back on the right path after the confidence-sapping loss to Small, who riled Hall before the fight and then added injury to insult come fight night – the trainer stated that Hall is a fighter transformed.

“People don’t know how good Randell [Writer’s note: Tony is a solid domestic fighter who was on a run of five wins going into the fight with Hall] is but we found that he is a tough, skilful guy and it is a shame that he wasn’t given the push earlier in his career, he’s a really underrated fighter.  Matty just got past a tricky first round and then got into his groove – he took Tony apart.  Don’t forget, Matty had been out for ten months before that fight,” stressed Farnell.

Webb won the title courtesy of a contentious decision over Small; it was a forgettable fight and came on the heels of Small’s anodyne Lonsdale belt win over Thomas McDonagh in November of last year, a fight with Hall would give Webb the chance to put the 154lb title back on the map.  Webb, 29, moved to 16-1 (4) with the win over Small, the Londoner has improved immeasurably since his 2006 loss to Alex Spitko.

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