By Terence Dooley
Former IBF super-featherweight titlist Steve Forbes, 35-10 (11), will add a touch of US glamour to Stephen Vaughan's New Year show at Liverpool's Olympia venue on January 20th. The former WBC welterweight title challenger takes on Ryan Barrett over eight-threes in the chief support bout to Derry Matthews versus Emiliano Marsili.
Nicknamed '2POUND' due to his low birth weight, the slick boxer came over to the UK to spar Ricky and Matthew Hatton in May 2007, with the two brothers telling me that Forbes was as “Slippery as a bar of soap” after doing a few rounds apiece with the Las Vegas-based stylist.
Barrett holds a respectable 25-9-2 (5) record. The Londoner is coming off a points win over Dan Stewart and will have had ample preparation time come the night.
However, Jeff Thomas has thrown his name into the mix just in case Barrett cannot fight Forbes for one reason or another. The 9-6-3 (1) boxer took part in Prizefighter: Light-Middleweights tournament in September, dropping draw to Kris Agyei-Dua despite flooring his man in the first – 'Jeffro' losing out courtesy of referee Terry O'Connor's 28-29 casting vote.
Thomas is due out on December 16th yet is open to offers should the Vaughan Promotions find themselves without an opponent for Forbes's UK bow or arrange another outing for the visitor if Steve registers a W and decides to prolong his stay.
“It is great news he's boxing here and it would truly be an honour to share the ring with such a tremendous fighter,” said Thomas. “I was a fan for many years. Forbes is like a welterweight James Toney. I hope I get to fight him.”
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