Dronfield’s Lewis Taylor gets the biggest fight of his career on December 13, when he steps in with Jonson McClumpha in an English middleweight title eliminator.
The undefeated prospects clash at the Hillsborough Leisure Centre, with McClumpha taking the place of original opponent Jez Wilson.
Arguably a harder night for Taylor, McClumpha is rated highly by boxing insiders and the two stoppage victories on the Sunderland man’s nine-fight ledger belie his heavy hands.
Taylor, who recently called out Adam Etches only for his Sheffield rival to shy-away from the challenge, insists that fighting in front of the BoxNation cameras against another hot prospect is the perfect stage to show what he’s all about.
“I know boxers always say it’s the best they’ve felt before a fight, but this really is the best for me,” said Lewis, who has a single draw alongside 14 wins. “I’m normally confident anyway going into a fight but I don’t need to get myself up for this fight because he’s a better kid [than Jez Wilson], he’s rated above me and it’s really given me a push. I just can’t wait for fight-night, I’m sick of waiting. I’m going to go in there and do a job and I’ve got to make a statement. It’s the next step up and I want to show people what I can do.”
“I rate Lewis highly,” stated Dennis Hobson, who co-promotes the Fight Night Events bill with Francis Warren. “Etches would have been a great fight for Sheffield but Adam swerved it, so we’ve been looking for another good test and have found one in Jonson McClumpha. His manager Phil Jeffries believes he can go all the way, but I’m confident that Lewis will have a bit too much for him. It’s a great match-up though and the kind of fight that should be happening more often in boxing, so credit to both lads.”
Tickets for the show are priced at £40 and £100 (ringside) and are available via ticket line 01142434443.
Once a highly touted prospect, Liam Cameron aims to show he is the real-deal on December 13, when he meets Tobias Webb in a British super-middleweight title eliminator at Sheffield’s Hillsborough Leisure Centre.
Cameron and Webb play chief support on the Fight Night Events bill - and the Steel City man wants to steal the show in front of the BoxNation cameras.
“I’m grateful to Dennis [Hobson] and Francis [Warren] for making me chief support,” explained the 24-year-old. “I thank them a lot because they obviously believe in me by putting me on this show, and I’m going to produce the goods and get a good win.”
A former ABA champion, Cameron has lost just three times in 20 outings, with two of those reverses coming after switching trainers in 2011. Now reunited with long-time coach Chris Smedley, ‘Cannonball’ says he is in a good place and ready to build on his September performance when he demolished experienced Ghanaian Philip Kotey in four rounds.
“I lost my way listening to people,” said Liam on his move away from former amateur coach Smedley, “but I was young and just followed what people said. I’m glad I’ve learned though and I’m back with Chris and it’s going wonderful.”
Welsh champion Webb enters the fight with a brace of defeats from 18 contests. Those two KO losses have come at the fists of noted punchers Rocky Fielding and Callum Smith – who despatched him in a round and two rounds respectively – and Liam wants to put in a similar performance.
“I go into every fight to stop them. I like to finish it early. I can really bang, and I’m strong, and I’ll be going in there to give him a good fight. You have to stand out and do a job; if someone’s done him in a round then I’ve got to try and do him earlier. He’s a tough kid though and Fielding and Smith are big bangers, so it doesn’t surprise me [he got stopped early].”
Dennis Hobson, who co-promotes alongside Francis Warren, stated: “Liam turned pro in a blaze of glory after winning the ABAs but he lost his way a little. He’s back in the fold now though, looks really happy and back to his old self. The winner of this fight is now in line for a crack at the British so there’s a lot riding on it and it’s going to make for great viewing.”
Tickets for the show are priced at £40 and £100 (ringside) and are available via ticket line 01142434443.
DILKS: ‘ADENIYI WON’T BRING ANYTHING NEW’
Having sparred countless rounds with Rock Ferry’s Wayne Adeniyi, Carl Dilks doesn't believe he'll see anything new when they meet this Saturday at Liverpool's Olympia.
The Merseyside duo clash for the Central Area cruiserweight title live/FREE on vipboxing.tv, and Carl believes he has the answers for any questions that nine-fight undefeated Adeniyi might pose.
“He’s very good but I’ve done a lot of sparring with him,” revealed Liverpool’s Dilks. “I know what’s to be expected and I don’t think he’s going to bring anything different that he hasn’t already done in sparring. It’s a good fight though and I’m looking forward to it.
“I’m looking forward to fighting for the title. I don’t think a lot of people take it on now, it would be nice to add it to my collection and hopefully it will lead on to bigger shots, maybe an eliminator for the British or a straight shot. One step at a time though.”
The 31-year-old, who has previously fought for English and Commonwealth honours at super-middle, knows he doesn’t have forever left in the game. A pro since 2007, Carl doesn’t want to leave the sport without becoming domestic champion but knows anything other than a win against Adeniyi will leave him with few options.
“If I don’t win this one then I don’t think I’ve really got anywhere else to go,” said Carl, who has lost just six times in 24 fights. “But boxing’s boxing and I’ve been saying this for years. I got beat by Rocky Fielding and said I was retiring then. I know I’m going to win anyway but boxing’s in me and I know what I’m like and I’ll end up fighting again anyway! But I’m going to win this fight.”
“All fights are must-win fights, but this one is crucial for Carl” explained promoter Steve Wood. “He’s had a good career but has just fallen short at the top level so far. There is still time for him and the cruiserweight division is wide open at the moment, but he really can’t afford to lose this one. Wayne is a good fighter and is really confident and I know this one will be a great watch.”
VIP Promotions present Carl Dilks versus Wayne Adeniyi for the Central Area cruiserweight title at the Liverpool Olympia on December 6. Appearing on the undercard will be Liverpool's James Metcalf, Colin Farricker, Tom Farrell, Adam Ismail, Ryan Moorhead and debutant Steve Brogan; Southport's Scott Moonan; Lancaster’s Tomi Tatham; Ellesmere Port’s Mason Cartwright, and Belfast’s Anthony Cacace.
Tickets, priced at £30 (General) and £60 (Ringside), are available from all boxers or at www.vipbe.co.uk
Martin J. Ward believes he’ll have too much for Maxi Hughes to handle when the pair meet in a British Super Featherweight title eliminator tomorrow night (December 6) at York Hall, Bethnal Green, live on Sky Sports.
Unbeaten Ward faces the Rossington man at the east London boxing mecca and while he rates his 24 year old opponent, he expects to overpower ‘Maximus’ in the later rounds as he faces his first southpaw in the paid ranks.
“He is an all-round pretty sound pro but he doesn’t have what I have got and I believe I have more than enough in the tank to beat him,” said Ward, who scaled 9st 3 ½lbs today, as did Hughes.
“He is a southpaw. A lot of orthodox fighters struggle with southpaws but I love fighting southpaws. He is not the most elusive of fights. He has a good boxing brain but I am going to be too quick, too sharp and hit too hard for him.
“I haven’t fought any southpaws as a pro but I used to love getting drawn to them. On the GB squad we used to spar southpaws and fight southpaws week in, week out. I used to love it because a backhand was a scoring point and I couldn’t miss them with a backhand.
“I believe I will come on stronger in the later rounds. Tony always trains you hard and over the years he builds an engine which stays inside you and the engine in have for this fight I could do 12 rounds. I will come on stronger later in the fight.
“It could go the distance. I am going to go out there and enjoy it. I am not going in there swinging and punching looking for a big knockout. I will keep my head on my shoulders and go and stick to my advice from Tony in the corner. But if he walks onto one he walks onto one and I have the power to knock him out.”
Ward and Hughes both faced Kakhaber Avetisian in their last outings – Ward stopping the experienced Georgian in the final round of eight at Wembley Arena on September 20, eight days after he’d taken Hughes ten rounds for the vacant International Masters Super Featherweight title in Sheffield, with Hughes winning every round.
“We both had the same opponent for our last fights and you can take a little bit from that,” said Ward. “Styles make fights and I believe my style is going to cause Maxi a world of trouble. I believe he is in for a hiding tomorrow.
“I step up with each fight that goes on because I am looking to get to the title stage and this is an eliminator for the British. He has proved himself over the ten-round distance that he is a decent ten-round fighter so he is a step up but it is one where I am excited to be able to show what I can do.
“I have been in a really hard camp for this fight, I have trained the hardest I ever have for a fight and I want to make a statement to every Super Featherweight in the country that I mean business. I want that British title around my waist by next summer.”
The title is now the property of Liam Walsh after the unbeaten Norfolk man took it from Gary Sykes in London last week, and Ward was a keen observer of their bout.
“Liam looked really good in winning it,” said Ward. “Sykes was a little bit off point to be honest, I wasn’t impressed with him, but Liam looked a good fighter. I cannot look past Maxi because I am in for a tough night’s work and I have put my body through hell over the last ten weeks for this and I am going to prove I am a legitimate challenger for the title and show that I am ready to take it home with me in the New Year.
“Every other Super Featherweight is going to be watching. If you are a Super Featherweight and there is somebody fighting for the British title or an eliminator, you are going to watch that fight and take interest in it. People in the weight division will be watching and I am going to show them what I am all about.
“I am strong and nice and big for the weight. It was the right move for me and I can make the weight comfortably. In the pro game you have to get every little extra you can and the move to Super Featherweight was definitely the right move for me.
“I am in there mixing it with some great fighters in the gym and in sparring. Sparring is different from fight night but the quality of sparring in the gym, I love it. I enjoy every moment of it and all the hard work is towards fight night and this is the enjoyable part of it.”
Hughes and Ward clash in between the semi-finals and final of the Prizefighter Lightweights III, with yesterday’s draw throwing up a rematch in the top-half while the two favourites are separated in the bottom section.
Danny Connor and Michael Devine met in the same venue in September only for their ten-rounder to be halted prematurely when a clash of heads left Connor with a cut that he couldn’t continue to box with.
They clash in the second quarter-final with the winner then facing either Craig Whyatt or Lee Martin, who kick off the action.
Pre-tournament favourites Gary Buckland and Stephen Foster Jnr could meet in the second semi-final, with Foster taking on Irishman Jono Carroll in the third quarter-final and Prizefighter Super Featherweight champion Buckland facing big-punching Floyd Moore in the fourth quarter-final.
