By Dean Parr
Dennis Hobson-promoted Liam 'Cannonball' Cameron, 2-0, turned pro last year with little fanfare but much respect within the boxing community. The 2009 ABA winner spoke to BoxingScene.com about his next fight, and what the future could hold for him.
His next fight will be at the City Hall in Sheffield, and the 'Cannonball' is excited ahead of fight night. “I'm really looking forward to it; I can't wait! I've trained hard for it, so it should be good. I'm in the best shape I've been in up to now in my pro fights,” declared Cameron.
Cameron's opponent will be Kevin McAuley, a 4-13-2 veteran that has only been stopped twice. On his foe, Liam declared: “I just know he's tough, game and he comes swinging sometimes. That's all I know about him if I'm honest. I'm ready for whatever he can give me. If I can't get through people like this, I'm not going to go anywhere, so I've got to beat him and look good.”
Also, according to the light middleweight ABA Champion, there have been a few hiccups in the run up to this. “I had a cold about three weeks ago”, he admitted, “but that's nothing. I've been training with Clinton Woods who's a former world champion, and the trainer who originally got me to the ABA finals when I won it, so it's been great! I can see now that my body's matured.”
He continued: “With the switch from amateur to pro, it's just about altering your style. There's not too much to alter really, like people go on about, but just things like keeping your feet planted, loads of head movement and just being tough, because of things like headbutts.”
In his debut, Liam out pointed Matt Scriven by a margin of 60-54 in a six-twos contest. He was happy with this showing. “I was very happy, because not many box him on their debut, so for me to beat him easily and for him to say that I'm the best boxer he's fought was an unbelievable compliment,” revealed Liam.
Another shutout win followed this, with Cameron beating Ryan Clark by the same margin over the same distance. This pleased the Sheffield fighter. “Clark was very tough because he took some really, really big shots,” Liam noted.
“And he even said to me after the fight that he had to be tough to cope with me because my hand speed was phenomenal and my pressure was too much. He said I'd stop loads with my pressure, and the only reason he could stay in there was because he knew he'd have to be really tough because he'd heard a lot about me. I'm getting good little compliments now."
With regards to a prediction for his next bout, Liam had this to say. “Kevin McAuley's got to be tough, because if he's not then I think I'll stop him. I'm very confident, and if anyone shows me any weaknesses, I think I'll stop them. If he's tough though, then it's good for him to go for a few rounds with an ABA Champion.”
The Fight Academy man also revealed his plans with regards to title shots in the future. “I can't wait for title shots - they're what I dream about,” he admitted. “Hopefully, we'll have ten fights, and we'll see how it goes; that's what my promoter's been saying, so we'll see what we can work out then.”
Cameron added: “After this fight, I think I'm boxing in Coventry on the 24th April on the Munroe undercard. We're going to get loads of fans up, then have a big party afterwards.”
Liam is staying relatively active, fighting every couple of months since his debut. He lauds this approach to his career, and was actually meant to be fighting even more regularly!
“I should have been fighting three weeks ago on another Maloney show, and I was meant to box Geraint Harvey, who’d just knocked [Tony] Doherty out. I would have taken that fight, but that just means I've been training for ages for this one and having it really hard,” he divulged.
The boxing community in the UK is quietly excited about the potential of 'Cannonball', and he shares their sentiments that he can go all the way. “100% I can do it all,” he asserted. “I'll do the possible, and God will do the impossible.”
To finish up, Cameron had some gratuitous messages to put out there. “I'd just like to thank my trainers, and Clinton Woods who has been working hard with me. I'd also like to mention my physio and just ask everyone to support me - and watch me go all the way!”
To buy tickets for Liam's next fight, ring 07521 808 984.
