GARY BUCKLAND is bidding to become the second fighter from his gym inside a week to claim a British title.
Hatton Promotions’ Cardiff fighter challenges Gary Sykes for the British super-featherweight championship at Sheffield’s Ponds Forge Arena on Saturday night (Sept 24)
His scrap comes days after stable mate and sparring partner, Lee Selby stunned Stephen Smith to become British and Commonwealth featherweight king.
It is ironic that Sykes and Smith have also being putting each other through their paces in the gym.
Close pal Selby said: “Gary is in great shape.
“He was the perfect sparring for Smith and I have been ideal to help him prepare for Sykes.
“I am faster and sharper than Sykes and I believe he will knock him out again.”
Buckland beat Sykes in 45 seconds at a Prizefighter competition last year, but says: “People are saying I will knock him out again, but I am just looking to win on points.
“I have had a great nine week training camp and I am so fit I would be able to do 15 rounds.
“We’re just a few days away and I am looking forward to getting in the ring and enjoying the fight.”
In the chief support former European champion and WBC world title challenger Rendall Munroe meets Ryuta Miyagi in a non-title ten rounder.
Jenkins fellow Sheffield prospects Adam Etches, Scott Jenkins, Richard Towers and Jezz Wilson are also on the big bill.
Etches and Towers face Belarussian opposition. Heavyweight Towers meeting Yuri Bihoutseu over eight rounds, while Etches boxes Yauheni Abdurazakau over four rounds.
Jenkins has his second paid fight when he faces vastly experienced Steve Gethin.
Manchester’s former amateur star Tommy Stubbs makes his pro debut when he faces, tricky Kuwaiti Anwar Alfadi, who boxes out of Ingle’s stable.
Other fights: Justyn Hugh v Carl Wild and Wilson v Jay Morris.
There are just a few tickets left priced £35, £55 and £75 VIP from 01925 755222.
The card will be screened live by Sky Sports.
Internet sensation Usman Ahmed will get the chance to make a name for himself in the right way as he joins the line-up for Prizefighter Super Flyweights at Liverpool Olympia on Wednesday October 12, live on Sky Sports.
Ahmed hit the headlines when a video of his flamboyant ring walk and first round knockout defeat to Ashley Sexton became a viral hit on YouTube. One version of the video has now been viewed over five million times as Sexton delivers a punishing right to floor the confident Derby man in their English Flyweight title clash in Brentwood in January 2010.
The 29 year-old had previously fought for the Chris Edwards for the British and Commonwealth titles and promoter Eddie Hearn believes that a strong showing at Olympia could earn Ahmed a shot at redemption.
“Usman has had a rough ride with the Sexton knockout, but it’s certainly raised his profile which is important in such a tight division,” said Hearn. “In Prizefighter he has the chance to make the headlines for the right reasons and with his showmanship and self-confidence, a win in Liverpool could earn Usman another title shot and a lot of fans.”
Ahmed joins British champion Lee Haskins, English Bantamweight champion Craig Lyon from St Helens, Liverpool’s Mike Robinson, Merseyside’s third representative unbeaten 23 year-old Ryan Farrag, and another unbeaten fighter in Northampton’s Nathan Reeve, the 21 year-old former. The boxers taking the final two spots will be announced soon, with Ahmed and Robinson both denied another shot at Sexton after the Londoner withdrew from the line-up.
Tickets for the Super Flyweights show at Liverpool’s Olympia on Wednesday 12 October are on sale now from Matchroom Sport on 01277 359900 priced £30 unreserved, £50 ringside, £100 VIP.
O'MEARA TO USE MAYWEATHER SPARRING AS INSPIRATION
Steve O'Meara aims to take inspiration from pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather Jnr when he steps into the ring for his Southern Area light middleweight title bout against Ryan Toms.
O'Meara features as chief support to the Commonwealth Super-Featherweight clash between Liam Walsh and Paul Appleby at the York Hall, Bethnal Green on Friday 30th September.
The show is the debut of Queensberry Promotions, headed by Frank Warren's sons Francis and George. Tickets are close to sell out and O'Meara is after more for his fans.
Last year, ahead of his appearance in Prizefighter, O'Meara, along with former British Super-Middleweight Champion James DeGale, had some sparring sessions with Mayweather at the American's gym.
"The physical experience of sparring with him (Floyd Mayweather) was unbelievable and it is something I will always remember," Said the West Drayton fighter.
"It also had an affect on me mentally sharing a ring with him. Floyd Mayweather is obviously the biggest name but I've sparred a lot of good fighters and I've always felt I've done well.
"Whenever I'm coming up for a fight or I need that mental strength, the sparring with Floyd Mayweather, Carl Froch, DeGale and Darren Barker, spending time in the ring with these types of fighters makes you mentally strong."
O'Meara has had two loses on his record but has bounced back strongly after both and looks to continue his winning ways after victory last time out against Andrew Alan Lowe.
"I've tasted defeat and know what it feels like, I'm not scared of losing, I just want to win. Hopefully on September 30th I can show I'm a few levels above Southern Area title standard," said the 27-year-old.
"I watched Ryan's last match against Pat McAleese, there's some good stuff but having watched him I feel like it is my fight to lose. He's unbeaten and no fight against an unbeaten fighter is going to be easy because he doesn't know how to use yet, but unfortunately I'll be the one to show him."
Both O'Meara and Toms are from west London and will be heading east for their showdown at the York Hall.
"The York Hall is almost like a home ground now," he said. "The atmosphere is great in there and there isn't a bad seat in the house,
"Ryan is from my neck of the woods as well, so it'll be a bit of a derby. We don't personally know each other but we know a lot of the same people. There is a lot of interest in our area around the fight,
"I've done well on my tickets and I'm after some more, but Francis and George are saying it's close to sell out now. I've got a crowd coming down to see me and I'm going to win the title."