MAGEE AIMING TO FOLLOW FROCH TO WORLD TITLE GLORY
Brian Magee is looking to revive his career by making sure Irish eyes are smiling at the end of his British Super-Middleweight Title showdown against Stevie McGuire at the Brentwood Centre on Saturday, 13th December 2008.
The Belfast boxer has his third crack at becoming British champion after losing to newly crowned WBC world champion Carl Froch in 2006 and then being held to a controversial draw with Tony Oakey last year.
The draw with Oakey was for the British Light-Heavyweight Title but Magee has returned to his natural super-middleweight division and feels better for it.
The former IBO champion hopes to end the 15-fight unbeaten record of McGuire (Glenrothes, Scotland) on the Hennessy Sports show that is being shown live on ITV4 at 8.40pm.
Froch (Nottingham, England) beat Jean Pascal (Quebec, Canada) for the vacant WBC world title on Saturday and Magee is confident he will follow 'The Cobra' to world title level.
First Magee must beat McGuire and set up a possible shot at the European title next year.
"It’s hard to argue against Carl Froch being the best super-middleweight in the world after Saturday’s performance, so I’ve taken confidence from the fact that I pushed him close to the wire when we fought," said Magee.
"Carl stopped me in the 11th round but two judges had me just one point behind at that stage and that was the first time I had been knocked out in my career.
"Carl is superb and won the world title last weekend and I believe I can win titles beyond domestic level.
"I should have got the decision in Germany when I fought Vitali Tsypko and he’s waiting for a world title shot now.
"I’m concentrating full on this fight but I’m also looking ahead to where I want to go, which is where Carl Froch is.
"I’ve had to come down a level to get fights and I even had an attempt at the light-heavyweight title, but I was never happy at that weight. I didn’t feel myself in that fight, even though it was a controversial decision.
"McGuire is going to be ready for the fight of his life so I’ve got to be on top of my game to get myself up there for bigger things which I believe I’m capable of."
"I think Brian looked really good in his last fight; he looked in excellent condition and looked sharp. I was at ringside when he fought for the European title a couple years ago in Germany and I thought he clearly won the fight and he should have been crowned European Champion that night," said promoter Mick Hennessy.
"If he can win the British title this Saturday, then he’s got a great chance of fighting for the European title next year."
Also on the bill, Darren Barker (Barnet, England) defends his Commonwealth Middleweight Title against Jason McKay (Banbridge, Northern Ireland).
The 1 Night, 2 Titles official weigh in will be held at the Baytree Shopping Centre, Brentwood, Essex, CM14 4BX on Friday 12th December at 1pm
Tickets are available from the Brentwood Centre Box Office on 01277 262616 or via the web www.brentwood-centre.co.uk
DARREN SUTHERLAND'S promoter Frank Maloney was a relieved man when the Dubliner's first professional training camp ended last night.
The Olympic bronze medallist makes his long awaited professional debut against Bulgarian Georgi Iliev at Dublin City University on Thursday December 18.
Maloney and trainer Brian Lawrence have been amazed at the way 'Dazzler' handled a procession of sparring partners at their London training base.
Maloney said: "Darren has worked his way through nine sparring partners inside the last month.
"I am not going to name any of them because they didn't moan and got on with the job.
"Most of them were on the floor and if they weren't going over they were on receiving end, but they were true professionals and never complained.
"I am just relieved it is all over because I have been on the phone non-stop getting lads in."
Maloney fears that he will now have to import sparring partners or take Darren around Britain to gain gym experience.
He added: "I have a good overseas network so it will not be a problem bringing sparring over, but I like the idea of Darren using gyms in Britain.
"I have been offered some facilities in Manchester by one of my associates where he says there will be good sparring and that is a possibility.
"We have to get the Iliev fight out of the way first. Then Darren can enjoy the holidays with his family before he knuckles down again.
"It has been a whirlwind few weeks for him and I dare say he can't wait to see his family and get some rest."
Iliev knocked out Castlebar's Keith Cresham on a previous visit to Ireland in a six-round super-middleweight bout.
Maloney quipped: "He could have knocked out King Kong for all I care. He won't be repeating that performance."
Rendall Munroe's European super-bantamweight title defence against Fabrizio Trotta tops the DCU bill which will be televised live in Britain and Ireland by Sky Sports.
Dublin prospect Paul Hyland (12-1) faces Eugene Heagney (7-1) in a local battle where the winner could be lined up to face European bantamweight champion Ian Napa.
Kiko Martinez (19-1), who knocked out Bernard Dunne in seconds, boxes a six rounder on the undercard.
London based Irishman Martin Power (19-3); the former British bantamweight champion faces a tough test against Gary Davies (7-2-1).
Manchester's Craig Watson (13-2) defends his Commonwealth welterweight title against Adnan Amar (22-1), a protégé of Dubliner Brendan Ingle.
A third title bout on the bill sees Jason Booth (30-5) risks his Commonwealth bantamweight crown against Sean Hughes (15-7-1).
Tickets for the big Dublin bill cost 100 Euros and 50 Euros and are available from www.frankmaloney.com , www.ticketmaster.ie . To order from Ireland by phone call 08 18 719300, and from UK 0871 226 1508. Please all press applications please apply to pressatftm@gmail.com
Power Back In Action On Maloney's Dublin Venture
Eager to regain his former standing as the top bantamweight in Britain following a 13 month hiatus, Martin Power returns to the ring on the big boxing bill at The Helix at City University in Dublin, Ireland on Thursday, December 18, 2008.
Power streaked to the top during the first phase of his career, making the most of a five year run by winning the British title and holding it through two defenses while turning back such difficult opposition as Ian Napa, Dale Robinson, Isaac Ward, Rocky Dean and Shinny Bayaar.
But the 28 year old Londoner ran into a very large roadblock in the towering form of the nearly 6 foot tall undefeated South African bantam Tshifhiwa Munyai in June, 2006 as the pair tangled for the vacant Commonwealth title.
Although Power was ahead on two scorecards after eight frames, the long reach and accurate combination punching of late replacement Munyai had taken it's toll by the ninth as the British champion was stopped midway through the round.
A return bout with Munyai proved even more fruitless as the giant South African was on the form of his life, slashing through Power's defenses to convince Team Power to pull their man out in the fourth.
Despite putting in an excellent performance during a rematch with Ian Napa in November of last year, Power failed to lift his old British title but did succeed in proving that he was far from finished and ready to rebound given more measured steps of opposition.
That comeback begins on Thursday, December 18 when Power, 19-3 (8), encounters 26 year old Liverpool area super bantamweight Gary Davies, 7-2-1 (5), in a scheduled six round bout.
Davies is a former British masters/central area super bantam titlist who has only lost one of his last nine contests. Three of Davies' last four opponents have not gone the distance and the St. Helens man is determined to make a name for himself by drawing his smaller adversary into a slugfest that he believes Power cannot win.
But win Power must if he is to realize his ambitions toward the British and Commonwealth titles and the contest with Davies has a very good chance of being the fight of the night on a very competitive bill at The Helix in Dublin.
The card is headlined by the pro debut of 2008 Irish Olympic Bronze Medallist Darren Sutherland, who meets Hungary's Georgi Iliev, and European super bantam champion Rendall Munroe's title defense against Italy's Fabricio Trotta.
Two Commonwealth title fights are also on tap as welterweight champ Craig Watson meets Adan Amar and bantamweight kingpin Jason Booth confronts challenger Sean Hughes.
Former British and Commonwealth light middleweight champion Jamie Moore, currently the Irish titlist, will place his three year, ten bout win streak on line as he tunes up for an upcoming European title clash while ex-European super bantamweight boss Kiko Martinez, undefeated Cork based super middle prospect Gary O'Sullivan and popular Dublin super bantam Paul Hyland are all scheduled to fight on the bill.
Frank Maloney Promotions presents "Out To Conquer The World" headlined by the debut of Irish Olympic Bronze Medallist Darren Sutherland and European Super Bantamweight Champion Rendall Munroe's title defense against Italian Champion Fabricio Trotta along with full undercard support, on Thursday, December 18, 2008 at The Helix in Dublin, Ireland.
Tickets, priced at €50, €60 and €100, are available by logging onto www.frankmaloney.com or by calling the Box Office on 0871 226 1508.
Sky Sports will televise the action live on SS1 starting at 8PM.
