Richie Woodhall's Take on Broadhurst vs Haskins
By Terence Dooley
Former Commonwealth, European and WBC world champion Richie Woodhall is now moulding fighters at his Aston Arena-based gym. Woodhall, who gave Joe Calzaghe a tough night in 2000, believes that Birmingham’s Don Broadhurst, the Commonwealth super-flyweight champion, has more than enough ability to annex Lee Haskins’ British crown at the Newport Leisure Centre, Wales this Friday night.
Former ABA flyweight champion Broadhurst, 25, is undefeated in eleven fights, three early, but Woodhall, who trains Don, is aware that Haskins, 19-2 (10), will give ‘The Don’ a stern examination.
“I think you’ve got to be confident. I’m confident in Don’s ability but I do recognise that this could be his toughest fight to date,” admitted Woodhall when speaking with BoxingScene.com.
“I’ve always said to Don that he has the ability and talent to become a world champion. I recognise that in him and I think he knows that. All due respect to Lee Haskins but if Don is going to be a world champion he has to get past someone like Haskins. I’m confident in Don’s ability to do that.”
Haskins, 26, carries the power in this one. Broadhurst is the boxer. However, Woodhall believes that his man’s power is being underestimated ahead of this clash. “Don punches a lot harder than people think,” revealed Woodhall.
“His record of three stoppages in eleven fights wouldn’t suggest that he punches hard but he does, he punches hard for his weight and has stopped two of three Ghanaians in his last three, and those guys are hard to stop. Those fights served a purpose. They were tough fights to take.
“In one of them he went twelve [a points win over Isaac Quaye]. In another he went past ten [an eleventh round TKO of Isaac Owusu] so he is learning his trade, and learning it properly. It is going to be a tough, tough fight because Haskins is a skilful kid. Don is up against it, but he is confident.”
Bristol’s Haskins derailed Ross Burkinshaw in his last contest; he has also fought the likes of Ian Napa and Andy Bell. Woodhall, though, believes that his man can overcome Haskins’ erratic southpaw style.
“It is a nightmare because Haskins’ style is a unique one”, Richie explained, “but he has faults like everyone else and we have to expose those faults. Don also has faults, like everyone else, and I’m sure they will be working on exposing those faults, but if I were a betting man I’d say that Don is in with a great chance of winning. Although Lee is a difficult one to figure out and that is why I think it is Don’s toughest fight to date.”
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