George Liddard is relishing the prospect of a “full-circle moment” when on Saturday he confronts Tyler Denny.
The promising middleweight makes the first defence of the British and Commonwealth titles he won in October with a career-best performance when stopping in 10 rounds Kieron Conway.
In emerging as one of the British fight scene’s finest prospects he also provided a reminder of his value to Matchroom, at a time when their influence in the UK is perhaps under threat.
He will again headline a Matchroom promotion – on Saturday at London’s Copper Box Arena, which represents a bigger venue than that at which he fought Conway, the nearby York Hall – and will do so not only with his gym-mate Jimmy Sains fighting his former opponent Derrick Osaze in the chief support, but with a further gym-mate in the junior lightweight Louie Ward fighting Jahfieus Faure on the occasion of his professional debut.
At the respected Tony Sims’ Essex-based Matchroom Gym, Liddard’s profile is surpassed by only that of Conor Benn – until so recently another Matchroom fighter – but he is fighting for only the 14th time in his career and in Denny against a proven opponent who previously defeated Felix Cash, another of Sims’ former middleweights and another with which Liddard once shared a gym.
“We’ve got Jimmy on the card, defending the English [middleweight title],” the 23-year-old Liddard told BoxingScene. “Louie Ward’s making his debut. I remember being in that situation. It’s a full-circle moment for me – I’m headlining and a lad from my gym’s making his debut. It’s a special night, and Conor’s got a big fight just a few weeks later [against Regis Prograis on April 11], so the gym’s thriving.
“We’ve got a lot of faces in the gym. It is popping. There’s a lot of healthy competition flying around. It’s a great thing to have in a gym.
“Tyler Denny’s a good opponent. He’s experienced. He’s a former European champion. He’s a great opponent for this stage in my career. I’ve not underestimated him one bit. I’m fully ready for a 12-round war if that’s what it needs to be, but I believe I get the job done in style on Saturday.
“It’s a close one between him and Conway [as my best opponent]. They have very different styles. But they’ve boxed at a very similar level; fringe world level; European level. They just bring different styles to the table.
“He’s got a good engine. A bit of an awkward style about him too. I just believe I’m better in every department that I need to be. He’s a good fighter, but I’m gonna show the difference between a good fighter and a great fighter.
“I like Felix. He’s a good lad. But I do not believe he’s the same fighter that beat Denzel Bentley. I see he’s making a comeback and I wish him all the best, but I don’t believe Tyler Denny beat the best Felix Cash. I think he beat a different version of Felix, compared to what we’ve seen in the past. He beat Felix, but I don’t believe that was the best Felix Cash.
“Winning the British, Commonwealth, obviously is going to fill you with confidence. But my confidence comes from the work I put in, week in, week out. I couldn’t work any harder than I do, so when it comes to fight night it’s God’s plan to me, and that’s why I’m confident.”
Liddard sounded not unlike Sims and the retired Darren Barker when he referenced his faith, and when asked about how accurate are descriptions of Saturday’s contest as one of “youth versus experience”, he responded: “He looks in good shape still. I wouldn’t class him as an ‘old’ fighter. He still looks like he’s got a good shape about him. He’s got the experience, but I don’t think I’m inexperienced. I’ve headlined a couple of shows now; I’ve been in with some good fighters.
“They’re always gonna label it as that because it’s a younger guy versus an older guy and he’s had over double the amount of fights I’ve had, but labels are labels. It’s gonna be what it’s gonna be. I’m ready for any style Tyler wants to come with.”
To that end, he was also then asked about inaccurate descriptions of him as “Britain’s youngest ever middleweight champion”, and he said: “That isn’t correct. I got told it before – when you look into it there is other fighters. I believe I’m the youngest simultaneous British and Commonwealth middleweight champion. There’s someone else that held both but not at the same time. As far as I’m aware. But don’t shoot the messenger.
“I own my own piece of history. Winning the British title at 23’s still a hell of an achievement. I look at the positives of that. I’m not too disappointed – I didn’t let [the truth] get to me too much.”
As an asset of increasing value to Matchroom – and indeed because Sims’ potentially uncomfortable position as a long-term associate of Eddie Hearn and Benn’s trainer is yet to be addressed – it made it inevitable he would also be asked about Benn.
Benn’s departure from Matchroom to Zuffa Boxing has infuriated the Hearns, but the profile of Saturday’s promotion suggests that their anger is limited to Benn and Benn alone.
“We don’t really talk about that stuff in the gym,” Liddard said. “Business is business. We go about our own. When we see him we chat about training and how that’s going, but we don’t really talk too much about that stuff.
“We haven’t crossed paths too much in the gym recently. We haven’t had the chance to [have fun with him about it] but we always give him a bit of stick, so I’m sure at some point there will be.
“Tony keeps his business with other fighters private – he doesn’t really talk about it too much. Tony’s a true professional – he won’t concern me with other people’s business, which I think’s the best way to be as a trainer and influential person. He’s not just a trainer – he’s an influential person in my life. I spent a lot of time around Tony Sims. He just focuses on my fight; my sparring; my training. Rather than get caught up in any headlines or anything like that.”
