24.05.60 – British and Commonwealth Cruiserweight Champion Mark Hobson has promised to make Buster Keeton pay on June 1 at the Barnsley Metrodome – in more ways than one. The Huddersfield hitter was due to fight Keeton in February but instead opted to fight WBU World Cruiserweight king Enzo Maccarinelli on the big Joe Calzaghe-Jeff Lacy card at the M.E.N Arena in March..
Hobson shook the dynamite punching Welshman in the opening round before extending Maccarinelli the distance to lose on the judges scorecards.
A miffed Keeton put in a complaint to the British Boxing Board of Control and Hobson was ordered to pay him £300 in compensation.
Now Hobson is raring to KO his Yorkshire rival before looking at tackling Big Mac again.
“I hear that Keeton has taken himself to Gran Canaria to train for this fight but if he’s after a good all-over tan then he’s wasted his money on a holiday as he will get a good tanning from me on June 1,” stormed Hobson.
“It has really cheesed me off that I had to pay Keeton £300 but that has given me the motivation and determination in training to give him a real good hiding,”
“I know there is no way that I will get my money back but it will be priceless seeing Keeton flat out on his arse being counted out by the referee,”
He added, “I believe that I gave a good account of myself against Maccarinelli but I know that I can do better. I took him on at three weeks notice after Johnny Nelson withdrew and I hadn’t fought for 15 months prior to that so I was a bit rusty but I gave him a scare in the early rounds,”
“Ring rust won’t be a problem from now on. I’m looking at fighting regularly and once I get Keeton out of the way I want to get a rematch with Maccarinelli again.”
Sheffield switch-hitter Ryan Rhodes warms up for his shoot-out with WBU World Middleweight Champion Gary Lockett on July 8 at the Millennium Stadium with a six-round contest.
Unbeaten Liverpool prospects Paul Smith continues his march towards his first title shot and features in an eight-round contest whilst English Featherweight Champion Derry Matthews is in an eight-round contest.
The rest of the card features welterweight Kell Brook, middleweight Rob Burton, super-middleweight Tony Quigley and Hobson’s stablemates James Hare and Dale Robinson.
Tickets for Northern Lights are available from the Sports Network Box Office on 01992 50550 or the Barnsley Metrodome on 01226 730060.