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Mathews aims for new title
DERRY MATHEWS will get the chance to add a second world title to his WBU featherweight crown at the Bolton Arena on April 5.
'The Golden Boy' has been matched with current WBF world champion Choi Tseveenpurev on Grand National day – one of the most keenly avoided nine stone fighters on the planet.
The Mongolian veteran has racked up 18 stoppages in 26 career wins and picked up his fringe world crown six months before Mathews and, similarly, has made two successful defences since.
Mathews, who delayed the start of his sparring until today after the withdrawal of original opponent Steve Foster Jnr last week, said: “Choi is a seriously tough replacement, in fact he’s definitely a tougher fight for me than Foster would have been.
“I took Foster to school when I was just a baby, this time around I would have stopped him for sure. But Choi is a completely different fighter and is very strong. Nobody in or around nine stone will fight him anymore.
“But I am a world champion and in my eyes that means taking on the best opponents available. I don’t want to dodge anybody. When I beat Choi the rest of the featherweight division will sit up and take notice again.
“I believe I will prove myself to be the best featherweight in the world and I am not afraid to fight tough men like him.”
Tseveenpurev may be 36, but he’s lost only four times in 30 contests, the last being in 2004, and he's never even touched the canvas, never mind been stopped.
After campaigning in the early part of his career in Thailand and China, he is now based in the UK, where he has become something of a marked man for starlets near to nine stone.
A big-hitting warrior with a granite chin and a reputation as a real workhorse, he captured the fringe WBF world crown two years ago and has stopped three of four opponents – two of those title defences – since.
Domestically most Brits have given him a wide birth, but Mathews is determined to prove he's the best featherweight in the world and more than a worthy challenger for the WBO crown, for which he is now rated at number two, following champion Steve Luevano’s destruction of former number one contender Terdsak Jandaeng in Las Vegas on Saturday.
Defeating Tseveenpurev would send out the biggest warning yet that the popular Scouser is ready to move onto the big stage.
He added: “I was living, eating and sleeping Steve Foster Jnr and then he pulled out. We then offered the fight to Michael Hunter, who was British,Commonwealth and European champion and fought for the IBF world title. But he wasn’t interested.
“But finally Choi came into the picture and so now I will turn my attention 100% onto him.
“He was supposed to be making a title defence himself on March 30 so he’s already in the gym too. He’ll be at his very best.
“But as I have said, I believe I can be the best in the world at nine stone. That means fighting the best out there.
“I am a world champion and as such that means every fight I have should be tough now. But Choi will not stop me from achieving my goals of becoming the world number one.
“I am already flying in the gym. My weight has come down perfectly and I am looking forward to starting sparring.
“Come April 5 I am going to be in the best shape ever.”
Tickets for the double world title fight, which headlines alongside Amir Khan’s WBO world title eliminator, are available in Liverpool by calling 07960 066068.
Liverpool light-heavyweight knockout artist ‘Bomber’ Tony Bellew also features on the bill.
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From the Liverpool Echo
.......................................
Mathews aims for new title
DERRY MATHEWS will get the chance to add a second world title to his WBU featherweight crown at the Bolton Arena on April 5.
'The Golden Boy' has been matched with current WBF world champion Choi Tseveenpurev on Grand National day – one of the most keenly avoided nine stone fighters on the planet.
The Mongolian veteran has racked up 18 stoppages in 26 career wins and picked up his fringe world crown six months before Mathews and, similarly, has made two successful defences since.
Mathews, who delayed the start of his sparring until today after the withdrawal of original opponent Steve Foster Jnr last week, said: “Choi is a seriously tough replacement, in fact he’s definitely a tougher fight for me than Foster would have been.
“I took Foster to school when I was just a baby, this time around I would have stopped him for sure. But Choi is a completely different fighter and is very strong. Nobody in or around nine stone will fight him anymore.
“But I am a world champion and in my eyes that means taking on the best opponents available. I don’t want to dodge anybody. When I beat Choi the rest of the featherweight division will sit up and take notice again.
“I believe I will prove myself to be the best featherweight in the world and I am not afraid to fight tough men like him.”
Tseveenpurev may be 36, but he’s lost only four times in 30 contests, the last being in 2004, and he's never even touched the canvas, never mind been stopped.
After campaigning in the early part of his career in Thailand and China, he is now based in the UK, where he has become something of a marked man for starlets near to nine stone.
A big-hitting warrior with a granite chin and a reputation as a real workhorse, he captured the fringe WBF world crown two years ago and has stopped three of four opponents – two of those title defences – since.
Domestically most Brits have given him a wide birth, but Mathews is determined to prove he's the best featherweight in the world and more than a worthy challenger for the WBO crown, for which he is now rated at number two, following champion Steve Luevano’s destruction of former number one contender Terdsak Jandaeng in Las Vegas on Saturday.
Defeating Tseveenpurev would send out the biggest warning yet that the popular Scouser is ready to move onto the big stage.
He added: “I was living, eating and sleeping Steve Foster Jnr and then he pulled out. We then offered the fight to Michael Hunter, who was British,Commonwealth and European champion and fought for the IBF world title. But he wasn’t interested.
“But finally Choi came into the picture and so now I will turn my attention 100% onto him.
“He was supposed to be making a title defence himself on March 30 so he’s already in the gym too. He’ll be at his very best.
“But as I have said, I believe I can be the best in the world at nine stone. That means fighting the best out there.
“I am a world champion and as such that means every fight I have should be tough now. But Choi will not stop me from achieving my goals of becoming the world number one.
“I am already flying in the gym. My weight has come down perfectly and I am looking forward to starting sparring.
“Come April 5 I am going to be in the best shape ever.”
Tickets for the double world title fight, which headlines alongside Amir Khan’s WBO world title eliminator, are available in Liverpool by calling 07960 066068.
Liverpool light-heavyweight knockout artist ‘Bomber’ Tony Bellew also features on the bill.
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From the Liverpool Echo
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