JAMIE MOORE has promised to take the fizz out of Jimmy Colas when he makes the second defence of his European light-middleweight title at Leigh Indoor Sports Centre on Friday July 24. Moore, recently promoted to number three in the WBC rankings recently is rapidly closing in on champion Sergio Martinez, but knows there can be no slip ups against Colas (27-6). Salford southpaw Moore (32-3) has beaten several serious injuries during his career and claims there are no more fitness worries..
Relieved Jamie, 30, said: “I am injury free. When I train I no longer have to changes routines to avoid injury and I am stronger, fitter and punching harder than ever.
“Once I have beaten Colas there is a mandatory defence lined up against another Frenchman Christophe Canclaux, but if the world title chance comes before then I’ll take it.”
Manager Steve Wood and promoter Frank Maloney believe they could persuade Martinez to make a voluntary defence before the end of this year.
They have already made efforts to make the match with the Argentinean’s promoter Lou DiBella, but if that fails the pair remain confident that ‘Mooresy’ will be made mandatory contender at the WBC convention in November
Moore won the title in March knocking out Michele Piccirillo in three rounds. In his only defence in May he stopped Russian Roman Dzuman.
On the same FTM bill hard-hitting Gary Davies puts his British bantamweight title on the (9-2-1) line for the first time, when he faces top class Londoner Ian Napa (18-7)
Tickets for the show are available at £85 and £40 from all fighters, 0871 226 1508 and www.frankmaloney.com. Those who buy from the website will receive a discount.
Lewis challenges Olympians to earn their Spurs
Undefeated Dwayne “Night Nurse” Lewis believes he’s the dark horse in the Super Middleweight division. While Olympic medallists like James Degale, Tony Jeffries and Darren Sutherland have been grabbing the headlines for their amateur exploits Lewis is adamant that he’s the best of the emerging 12 stone bunch.
The Tottenham Hotspur fanatic is currently unbeaten in 7 pro starts and has his next outing at the York Hall, Bethnal Green on July 18th. The bout is on the undercard of the British Light Heavyweight title clash between unbeaten duo Danny McIntosh and Nathan Cleverly with the Hennessy Sports event being screened live on ITV4.
Lewis has been sparring Beijing Gold medallist James Degale in preparation for next months bout and he feels that despite his amateur pedigree Degale still has a lot to learn about the pro game. “I found the sparring with him quite easy,” revealed the Canning Town native.
“As far as I’m concerned he’s still an amateur. When you turn professional you need to change you’re style and I don’t think he’s done that yet. Everything is different in the pro ranks including the training and the sparring and a lot of these amateur stars have to learn that the hard way.
“These Olympians are getting all the coverage because they did well in the amateur game and that’s fair enough but people need to realise that amateur boxing and professional boxing are two different sports altogether.
“You only have to look at what’s happened to both of Britain’s medallists from the previous two Olympics. Khan’s been knocked out and his chin is always going to be a problem in the pro’s and Audley Harrison has failed abysmally in making a name for himself.
“All credit to these guys for what they’ve done as amateurs but the pro’s is a man’s sport. It takes a different set of attributes to succeed in the pro game and a lot of these good amateurs fade away and never amount to anything as professionals.”
Lewis says he’d be happy to give any of the Olympians a personal introduction into the world of professional boxing. “I’m on the verge of the British top 10 at the moment and once I’ve cracked the top 10 some of these Olympians might be ready for a real fight and looking to make some noise. I don’t have anything to prove against those guys but if they want it then I’ll be waiting for them to show them just how tough the pro game is.”
Lewis however is very much his own man and is already planning his own route to the top. “I want to get this one out of the way on July 18th and then have a couple of 8 rounders to get me in the mix for a Southern Area title before the end of the year. Then all going well I can start moving through the levels next year.
Lewis will have an interested spectator ringside at the York Hall next month in the shape of Spur’s striker Jermain Defoe. Lewis has been friends with the England international since childhood and Defoe has followed his progress through the pro ranks with interest. “I’ve known Jermain since we were kids,” revealed Lewis. “He’s a big boxing fan and I’m a massive Spurs fan so it will be great to have him cheering me on. He might be bringing a few of the other Spurs players as well to see if he can convert them into boxing fans!”
A clash of unbeaten fighters tops the bill at the York Hall on July 18th with Danny McIntosh and Nathan Cleverly squaring off for the British Light Heavyweight title. The undercard features former British and European Champion Jon Thaxton alongside heavyweight sensation Tyson Fury and Ireland’s European Union Lightweight Champion Andy Murray.
Hot prospects Steve O’Meara, Lee Purdy, Del Rogers and Bobby Ward will join Lewis on an action packed night of championship boxing. Tickets (£35 Unreserved and £70 Ringside) are available from the Ticketline box office on 0844 888 4402 or via www.ticketline.co.uk.
SUTHERLAND ON THE TITLE TRAIL
DARREN SUTHERLAND looks certain to become the first Olympian to challenge for a professional boxing title.
His promoter Frank Maloney has plans for the Beijing bronze medallist to challenge for the Irish super-middleweight title later this year.
Sutherland (3-0) bids to continue his impressive professional form at York Hall, Bethnal Green tomorrow (Tues 30th June) when he meets Ukraine’s Gennadiy Rasalev (2-1) in a six rounder.
Maloney said: “The progress Darren has made with his trainer Brian Lawrence is astonishing, and he could be ready for a title later this year.
“When he turned professional in December, I thought it would be 18 months before he’d be ready, but there is no stopping him.
“There are some good Irish-Americans who could challenge him for the all-Ireland title, but the opponent I would like is Jim Rock.
“It would be a great fight between two Dubliners who would be so fired up because of local bragging rights.”
Provided 27-year-old Sutherland passes the Rasalev test, Maloney plans for him to box again ten day later in Sunderland before taking a well earned family break.
Top of the bill at York Hall is Jason Booth’s (32-5) British super-bantamweight title defence against Rocky Dean (14-10-2).
The action packed card also features a fierce British featherweight title eliminator between Harrow’s Sikh slugger Akaash Bhatia (14-0) and Welshman Jamie Arthur (14-2).
Tickets for ‘Back from the Brink’ are available at £80 (ringside) and £30 from all fighters and 0871 226 1508. To obtain a discount on all ticket prices buy from www.frankmaloney.com. There will be some tickers available on the door.