Sykes-Walsh on, Board say Smith Still on Dec. 7

By Terence Dooley

Dewsbury’s Gary Sykes, 25-3 (5), will get his belated crack at the British Super featherweight title when he meets Cromer’s Liam Walsh, 15-0 (10) on a Frank Warren bill at London’s York Hall after the BBBoC’s Stewards approved Warren’s request to make the contest for February 22nd.

Sykes, a former British titlist at the weight, had hoped to meet Liverpool’s Stephen Smith, 17-1 (10),  next month, but Smith’s decision to join Matchroom and vacate the title has paved the way for Sykes-Walsh.  Sykes is coming off a six-round decision win over Mark McKray in September; Walsh came through a grueling Commonwealth and WBO International title fight with Joe Murray in the same month, a majority decision.

The Board also underlined the fact that they expect Paul Smith, 33-3 (19), to defend his British 168lb title on next month’s Warren-promoted bill at Liverpool’s Echo Arena.  However, “Smigga” recently served notice of his intent to leave Warren and, as his proposed fight with Luke Blackledge,  14-1-2 (5), wasn’t a mandatory defence or set-up prior to his fight with Tony Dodson for the vacant belt, the oldest Smith brother’s situation is different from the one faced by “Swifty”, who was locked into the Sykes defence when wresting the title from Gary Buckland with a stunning right uppercut in the fifth round of their August encounter.

In other news, Warren also won the right to stage Jon Lewis Dickinson’s defence against Neil Dawson, which will take place on February 22nd at the Gateshead Arena.

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