By Lee Collier
Matthew Hall returns to action in the near future looking to re-establish his name in the light-middleweight division after suffering a heavy loss to Anthony Small, which cost the Manchester fighter his Commonwealth crown. Hall has since switched trainers and gyms, moving a few miles down the road from Brian Hughes’s gym to Anthony Farnell’s gym in Failsworth.
Hall is so determined to prove that the Small performance was an off night that he is jumping straight back into a title fight by facing the French light-middleweight champion Cedric Vitu for the vacant EU 154lb title. Sources close to the Manchester fighter believe that the fight will more than likely end up on the undercard of the Kevin Mitchell-Michael Katsidis world title fight in May.
Vitu is not the first opponent to be named as Hall’s opponent and the 25-year-old is finally happy it is all sorted. “Vitu is the third Frenchman I have been scheduled to face but the fifth opponent overall. It has been frustrating but I’ve had a knee injury and whilst there’s never been a good time to get injured it hasn’t really affected me,” revealed Hall. “I am in very good shape and could fight in a couple of weeks if needed.”
Hall feels the work he has done with new trainer Anthony Farnell means fans will see a better Matthew Hall and the fighter is confident he has the tools to beat the new French champion.
“I have watched Vitu on YouTube and he’s a fast sharp southpaw who throws good combinations but I expect to overpower him,” said a confident Hall. “I expect to break him down methodically and am looking to stop him in the mid to late rounds.
“I just need to get back to basics, working my way in with the jab and throwing combinations in four of five’s. I need to mix it up and vary my punches. Looking back, and being critical, I have been one dimensional at times and not shown the skills I have.”
Hall is an honest fighter who believes he belongs in title fights, which is the reason he has jumped back in the deep end after a loss that could have knocked the confidence of other fighters. “The kid who I’m fighting is 28-1 so I just want to keep my name in the mix and if I’m as good as I think I am there is no point going back to six or eight round fights,” explained Hall.
“I need to jump straight back in the deep end and if I am not good enough then so be it and there will be no excuses. I’d rather be fighting Vitu than a journeyman who I could blast out in two rounds meaning I wouldn’t learn anything.”
Whilst the EU title might play second fiddle to the full European belt a win for Hall will strengthen his position in the main European rankings. Hall is currently ranked fifth by the EBU with fellow Brit Ryan Rhodes holding the belt.
“I am ranked 5th in Europe so if I win the EU title it pushes me further up the European rankings and it gives me a better chance of being made mandatory for the Euro belt,” revealed Hall.
“I’d fight [European champion] Ryan Rhodes tomorrow but at the moment I am concentrating on Vitu and by the time I come to fight for a European title I think Ryan will be fighting for a world title so I don’t see the fight happening.”
