By Lee Collier
Friday night's Commonwealth light-middleweight title fight between Manchester’s Thomas McDonagh and Welling’s Gary Woolcombe is not going ahead after the Londoner suffered a hand injury. McDonagh was offered Badru Lusambya, 21-1-2 (19), [a Glasgow based Ugandan] for the same belt but McDonagh turned the fight down.
Instead former Commonwealth welterweight champion Craig Watson, 16-3 (6), will face the Ugandan for the Commonwealth 154lbs belt this Friday night, and Watson, who was aiming for a title in the 140lb weight division, explained why he is jumping up to fight for a title at light-middleweight.
“I am still going to do light-welterweight but I was chomping at the bit but I spoke with [matchmaker] Richard [Poxon] and he was going to put me on an eight rounder again but I’m in great shape waiting for a title fight at 140lbs,” revealed an ecstatic Watson.
“They are struggling to get me a title fight at light-welterweight and I am currently 10st 10lbs and would have had the time to get the weight off for a title fight but this opportunity came up. I have had no time out of the gym since my last fight in February and was chomping at the bit and I will grab this opportunity and win my second Commonwealth title.”
Peterborough’s big hitting middleweight Cello Renda is also off the bill. Renda was due to face unbeaten Jez Wilson off Sheffield and Wilson now faces Farai Musiyiwa of Zimbabwe instead.
Tickets to see Craig Watson take on Badru Lusambya for the vacant Commonwealth light-middleweight title can be bought by ringing the box office on 0161 775 7500.
Tickets are priced as below.
£30.00 General Admission
£75.00 VIP Ringside
