24.08.06 – Tough talking Ryan Barrett is promising to upstage Amir Khan’s homecoming party at the Bolton Arena on Saturday 2 September. The lanky Thamesmead southpaw reckons he will give boxings golden boy the hardest fight of his career and insist that it is the glory, and not money, that is motivating him to pull off a stunning victory. “This is the opportunity that I have been waiting for all of my career and now I’ve got the chance to step up and show just what I can do,” Said the 23-year-old..
“If people think I’m going to Bolton to be just a test for Khan then they are very wrong and are in for a shock. I’m not there make him look good in front of the TV viewers and his fans, I’m there to beat him,”
“This isn’t about money for me, the other guys that fought him might have gone in for the money but I’m in it for the glory and what it will do for my career,”
“I’ve wanted this fight for a very long time and after my last fight – when I beat Baz Carey – I asked Sports Network Matchmaker Dean Powell about making the fight and I’m delighted that it has happened now,”
Lightweight Barrett is rated at #13 in the last Boxing News ratings – 11 places higher the Khan.
With 12 wins from 15 fights and only two losses and one draw, Barrett has never been stopped and in his British title eliminator against Martin Watson in April this year, in which he broke his hand, he still took the hard Scotsman the distance.
He added, “Don’t get me wrong, what Khan has done by winning the silver medal at the Olympics is fantastic for British boxing but this is business and I’m in the Ryan Barrett business,”
“My amateur career is just as good as Khan’s minus the Olympic medal. I won 60 of my 75 fights, represented England and won a multitude of schoolboy and junior titles. Anything he’s done, I’ve done,”
“In Khan’s fight against Laszlo Komjathi there were definite signs of flaws and weaknesses that Komjathi exposed but didn’t capitalise on and I won’t let that happen once I tag him,”
“Khan is in for the worst night of his life. The odds are stacked against me but I am definitely going to win.”
The third meeting between Clinton Woods and Glen Johnson for the IBF World Light-Heavyweight title headlines the show and ITV1 will televise the action live from 9.30pm.
The show will also feature the Vacant WBA World Light-Welterweight title between Souleymane M’Baye and Raul Balbi.
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FURTHER BOLTON NEWS:
TAKALOO OUT
Takaloo has withdrawn from his WBU World Welterweight title defence against Michael Jennings after a hand injury sustained in sparring.
Jennings will now feature in an eight-round contest against an opponent to be confirmed.
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SMITH’S BABY BLUES
Unbeaten middleweight Paul Smith will not box on the show as his girlfriend is expecting their first baby at any moment!
The Liverpool puncher was due to meet Latvian toughman Jevgenijas Andrejevs over eight-rounds and will now box on the big Manchester card on October 14 at the M.E.N Arena headlined WBO/IBF World Super-Middleweight Joe Calzaghe.
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BELL: HOLLYOAKES TO HOLLYWOOD!
Manchester super-featherweight Steven Bell is looking to conquer Hollywood next!
Once Bell has dealt with Daniel Thorpe in Bolton, the part-time actor, who has appeared in top TV soap Hollyoaks and Shameless, will be auditioning for a part in a big America movie.
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Tickets for “FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE” are available at £40, £50, £75, £100 & £150 from:
SPORTS NETWORK: 01992 505 550 www.frankwarren.tv
TICKET MASTER: 0870 602 1122 www.ticketmaster.co.uk
KHAN BOXING: 01204 535 332 www.amirkhan-boxing.com
REEBOK STADIUM EVENTS: 0871 871 2932 www.reebokstadiumevents.co.uk
BOLTON ARENA BOX OFFICE: 01204 488 100