Paul Smith Vacates Title; Dillian Whyte Has No Bids

BBBoC news roundup: Paul Smith relinquishes, no bid for Whyte fight

By Terence Dooley

The BBBoC’s latest championship circulars threw up a few compelling fights for both the British and English title.  The most interesting piece of news is that Liverpool’s Paul Smith, 35-5 (20), has relinquished the British 168lb title, leaving his younger brother Callum, 15-0 (11), and city rival Rocky Fielding, 20-0 (11), free to contest the vacant belt.  Purse bids are due in on Wednesday the 13th of May.  

Frankie Gavin, 22-1 (13), could find himself in a local derby later this year as Glenn Foot, 14-0 (6), and Sam Eggington, 14-2 (8), are to fight an eliminator for the welterweight belt.  Eggington is from Birmingham, so a win for the in-form fighter could see a Gavin-Eggington local derby, assuming of course that Gavin does not relinquish to move on to world or European level.

There was news for another member of the Smith family, Liam Smith, 19-0-1 (9), will defend against Kris Carslaw, 21-5 (4), at a date to be decided due to Liam Williams’s withdrawal from a mooted title light-middleweight challenge due to injury.  Bids are due in by May 13, with the contest to take place by the end of July.

Liam Walsh’s Super featherweight defence against Troy James, 17-2-1 (5), was secured by Frank Warren, date and venue TBA.  Warren also won the right to stage Ryan Walsh, 18-1-1 (8), and Samir Mouneimne, 14-1-1 (4), for the vacant featherweight title.  It will take place on June 27, venue TBA. 

In English title news, John McDermott, 28-8 (18), against Dillian Whyte, 14-0 (11), failed to receive any bids, potentially a huge blow to the Londoner’s attempt to earn a showdown with Anthony Joshua.  Blackpool’s Matty Askin, 17-3 (10), lost to Oville McKenzie recently, but he still holds the English cruiserweight belt and has been mandated to face Lawrence Bennett, 7-1 (1).  Bids are due in on May 13 with the contest due by the end of June.

The vacant 160lb title could have a new owner by the end of July, Grant Cunningham, 10-1 (2), against Lewis Taylor, 16-0-1 (2), has been put forward by the stewards following Damon Jones’s withdrawal from the process.  The timescale for bids and the fight deadline is the same as the one for the previous bouts.

The Board also revealed that Femi Fehintola, 27-3 (2), and Andy Townend, 11-3 (8), will contest the vacant Super featherweight belt on a Stefy Bull card at the Doncaster Dome on May 2nd.

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