Boxing

Nathan Sting Challenges Johnny Amour At York Hall April 12

by Tony Nobbs

25.03 - On the same day (April 13 Aust. time) that exciting local Lt Heavyweight Paul Briggs faces off with Jorge Castro in a WBC eliminator at Carrara Stadium, another world rated Gold Coast boxer, Nathan Sting (25-6-1, 12 KO) will be out to top off an up and down career on the other side of the globe by capturing the WBU Bantamweight Title from England's Johnny Armour (29-1-1, 17 KO) at the famed York Hall in Bethnal Green.

Despite being a three time Australian professional Champion and possessing ringcraft rarely seen today, in this country at least, the well traveled southpaw has always been an overlooked commodity on the domestic fight scene.

But Sting, still smarting from a controversial points loss to then WBC number two Super Fly Dimitri Kirilov in his most recent appearance on British soil, in July 2001, is confident of changing all that by putting on another classy display of boxing which he hopes will be enough to unseat the credentialed Armour, currently listed at seven in the WBA Super Bantamweight roll call.

"It's going to be a tough fight, he is a good fighter, a wily old character" said Sting, 29, of his thirty four year old opponent.

"But it's not going to be easy for him either. After twenty years in the sport it is my time, a good Title to win and good money to defend it". Sting said he gained a great deal from his spell in England in 2001, where he beat highly regarded Stephen Oates in London before meeting Kirilov, who was 18-0 at the time, underneath the Johnny Nelson-Marcelo Dominguez WBO Cruiserweight Title in Sheffield.

He had previously boxed in Britain twice, losing Commonwealth Title shots to Neil Swain (1996) and Paul Lloyd (1997).

"That fight with Kirilov showed me I was genuine world class. After I beat him, all the trainer's said I was a better fighter than people realized". Nathan has won his last five bouts since returning to trainer Les Wilson and is contented with the preparation so far for Armour.

"I had three good runs last year, all going the distance. This year I had a good hit out with Binnu Singh, winning in six rounds (February 7) but the last bloke (Mohommad Khan on February 28) didn't do much for me, going down in one round. I'm looking forward to this fight, grateful for the chance. We have only had about a months notice officially, but we'd agreed to the fight before I fought Binnu and were just waiting for the promoters to finalize a date so it's been good. Me and Les have been doing a lot of technical stuff for a southpaw".

The IBF number 14 Sting finished off with some words of encouragement for the arm chair critics 'Down Under' who have questioned his desire and ability to perform against quality opposition.

"It's been frustrating not getting the exposure other fighters get but I've hung in, kept doing my thing and now I've got a great chance to answer the groupies who have been bagging me. The better the opponent, the better I fight and he is a good one. I'm a real fighter, not a protected specie getting around, padding my record. I don't have to go to the morgue to find my opponents. Look at my record, all of my losses have been to world rated fighters and I've only lost two at my right weight, Bantam. And I fight them in their backyards. All these groupies, and judging by what they say, they must be groupies, who run their mouths off should go and do their homework, because they obviously have don't know what they are talking about". Les Wilson said last night he and his fighter are expected to leave for England Thursday week.

Wilson is also amused by the lack of credit given to 'The Real Thing'. "Isn't it funny that people forget the good fighter's Nathan has fought and where he has fought them. Is it because they choose not to remember? Or is it because they just don't know?".

And Wilson, who trained Joe Bugner to the WBF Heavyweight Title in 1998, gives Sting a "good chance" of coming home a World Champion, especially if he boxes like he did against Kirilov and Bugarsio, who was rated number two by the WBA when he won a hotly disputed decision over the Australian for the PABA 122 lb Title in Indonesia, in 1999. "Nathan is one of the most underated fighters this country has produced for a while. If he has a good night in the office, he can definitely win".

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