Mark Hobson Collects

22.08.06 – Debt collector Mark Hobson, the reigning British and Commonwealth Cruiserweight Champion, reckons he will have to get heavy with Pavol Polakovic on the DebRA charity show on September 8 at the Grosvenor House Hotel for the WBU world title. The hard-hitting Yorkshireman works for Leeds City Council in between fights and collects unpaid Council Tax and Business Rates..

And surprisingly has had little trouble getting people to pay up!

“I don’t know if it’s because people know that I am boxer but I’ve never had any aggravation from anyone I’ve had to collect from which is surprising because I’ve been to some right hairy places!” said Hobson.

“I suppose it helps being the British and Commonwealth Cruiserweight Champion because I know I can handle myself outside of the ring but luckily I’ve never had to use any of my skills and I probably wouldn’t either apart from ducking or tying up,”

“I’m good at talking and have got good reasoning skills so that all helps to avoid an aggressive confrontation which is the total opposite of being in a boxing ring when your trying to knock each other out,”

This will be Hobson’s second shot at the WBU crown after taking Enzo Maccarinelli the distance earlier this year and he gave the hard-hitting Welshman a tough early session.

Hobson is expecting a tougher time when he tackles Polakovic – the IBF Intercontinental Champion.

He added, “Polakovic looks like a tough kid, like a lot of these Eastern European fighters are,”

“I’m not expecting an easy night’s work against Polakovic and I’ve been hyping myself up for the fight by looking at him as tax dodger!”

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DebRA

The money raised from the DebRA show – the second show Sports Network have promoted in association with the charity – will help promote research into the cause, nature, treatment and cure of the skin genetic disorder Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB) to raise the initial funding to develop the worlds first clinical research centre for EB at The Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children in London. ITV4 will televise the show. Further information about DebRA can be found at: www.debra.org.uk

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AN 0 HAS GOT TO GO

It’s a battle of the unbeaten prospects as Kevin Mitchell and Andrey Isaev go head-to-head for the Londoners IBF Intercontinental title.

The Dagenham Destroyer aims to extend his record to 21-0 whilst the tough Belarussian – who stopped Rocky Dean in the final round of their WBF Intercontinental title clash last October in the Ukraine – is currently 12-0.

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BOOTS FOR GLOVES

Former Grimsby midfielder and Sheffield United Captain Curtis Woodhouse will make his professional debut on the show.

Woodhouse, 26, who also played for Birmingham City, will take on Eltham’s Dean Marc Antonio over 4 X 2 minute rounds at welterweight.

“As the day gets closer I’m getting more excited,” said Woodhouse.

“Boxing has always been my first love, even as a kid, and I’ve always wanted to do it for real and here I am,”

He added, “I was sparring in the boxing gym every day after football training and I never let the manager know what I was doing,”

“Former British featherweight Champion Gary De Roux has been training me and he has really put me through my paces and I know I’m ready to make a big impact,”

“I didn’t win an FA Cup but I’m putting everything into winning a British title!”