UK Boxing: Nathan Cleverly; Ajose Olusegun; Joe McNally

Fast-rising boxing star Nathan Cleverly has been handed a tough fight against heavy-handed Samson “The Hammer” Onyango next Friday night. The Welshman was originally scheduled to box James Obede Toney at the Oasis Sports Centre in Swindon next Friday night live on Sky Sports. But when the Ghanaian was ruled out with an injury, in stepped Kenya’s Onyango..

He has an 18-3 record with 12 stoppages, and is sure to give unbeaten Cleverly a tough fight.

The Blackwood hot-shot, a potential candidate for the prestigious Boxing Writers’ Young Boxer of Year, is unbeaten in 14 with four KOs – and knows he’ll have to be at his best.

“Onyango looks just as good as Toney, if not a bit better,” said Cleverly.

“But I’m buzzing after defending my title in style just before Christmas, and I’m ready for another action-packed display next Friday.

“It will be a St Valentine’s weekend massacre – with all the big shots coming from me.

“I’ve had a great training camp and it really doesn’t matter who Frank Warren puts in front of me, I’m going to war and I’m going to win in style.”

A pro for four years, Onyango has won six of his last seven fights.

Tickets, priced at £30 Bench, £40 Terraced, £60 Outer Ring-Side and £100 Ringside including VIP, are available from The Oasis on 01793 445 401.

Olusegun Gets Haywood In Commonwealth Defense

Ajose Olusegun is the embodiment of any professional boxer’s worst nightmare. The number 5 ranked WBC light welter is an aggressive southpaw with lighting reflexes who throws punches in bunches, forcing opponents to go defensive and cover up from the constant shelling rather than work their own game plan.

Olusegun, 25-0 (12), will appear as chief support to the Rendall Munroe vs. Kiko Martinez European super bantamweight title rematch at the Metrodome in Barnsley, England on Friday, February 27 when he defends the Commonwealth light welter title against English Champion Scott Haywood, 19-2 (4).

The undefeated 29 year old represented his native Nigeria in the 2000 Olympics before coming up short in the second round to eventual light welter Silver Medallist Ricardo Williams of America, the last time that Olusegun would taste defeat.

Relocating to England in 2001, Olusegun wiped out his early opposition, caging the WBF belt at 140 in 2002 before returning briefly to his homeland to capture the Nigerian title as well. By 2004, Olusegun had added the African Boxing Union crown to his growing trophy cabinet.

One fight later, “The Nigerian Nailer” would make a big splash in the UK by going up to welter and crushing current Commonwealth light middle champion Bradley Pryce in four brutal rounds.

Olusegun continued his reign of upsets at 147 pounds by knocking out highly regarded future Commonwealth welterweight champion Ali Nuumbembe in six frames in 2006.

In 2007, the southpaw returned to his natural weight and widely outpointed iron-chinned Gary Reid over twelve rounds to pick up the vacant Commonwealth light welter title and successfully defended the belt a year ago in a thriller with former English titlist Nigel Wright.

Since that time Olusegun has been trying to capitalize on his top five WBC ranking by calling out current champion Timothy Bradley and the title’s former owner, Junior Witter. As neither man will take up the challenge, Olusegun kept sharp over the balance of 2008 with three victories over lower level opposition in six round bouts.

Later this month Olusegun will be tested again when he defends the Commonwealth crown against six foot tall challenger Scott Haywood, a very awkward and motivated fighter who has only lost once, by a single point, over the last four years.

It’s a difficult situation for Olusegun, who must not only win but look good in doing so against a very difficult, hard as nails opponent in Haywood, if he is to have a chance at facing Witter or challenging Bradley for the WBC title.

Frank Maloney Promotions presents Rendall Munroe vs. Kiko Martinez for the Super Bantamweight Championship of Europe with full supporting undercard at the Metrodome in Barnsley, England on Friday, February 27, 2009.

Tickets are priced at £75 and £35 and are available by logging onto www.frankmaloney.com or by calling the Box Office at 0871 226 1508.

Sky Sports will televise the action live on SS1 starting at 10PM

McNally prepared to trade bombs with Liverpool rival Delehedy

Hot Liverpool prospect Joe McNally would like nothing more than to share a coffee and a pleasant meal with Merseyside rival Graham Delehedy. However, on March 28 at the Echo Arena, McNally promises to put their friendship to one side and defeat the big-punching Delehedy more decisively than anyone before.

When not throwing punches at one another, McNally knows Delehedy simply as ‘Del’.

“I’ve boxed on a few shows with ‘Del’ at the Olympia and I’ve also sparred about 25 rounds with him over the years,” says McNally. “Del’s a great lad. I could easily sit down and have a coffee with him or go for a meal with him. Now I’ve got to fight him, that’s all.

“I can vouch for his punch power. He can punch – no doubt about it. He’s rocked me to my boots in sparring with 16-ounce gloves. The thing is, I’ve rocked him to his boots, too, in 16-ounce gloves. I’m going to be coming to knock him out on March 28 and he’s going to be coming to knock me out. It can’t be anything but an explosive fight.”

Southpaw McNally is currently 6-0 (2 KO) as a promising light-middleweight. Fellow Scouser Delehedy is 9-4-1 (7 KO) and renowned for his one-punch power on Merseyside. Despite patchy recent form, McNally expects to face the best and most dangerous version of Delehedy at HAYEMAKER 6

“Against me he’s going to be bang-on,” assures McNally. “This isn’t a short-notice job in someone else’s backyard. This is going to be the biggest fight of his life. It’s two Scousers facing off against each other and I know he’s going to be looking to knock me out. He’s got nine weeks of preparation and he’s going to be as fit as he’s ever been.

“He’ll see me as a stepping stone to a title shot. I’ve no doubt he’ll fancy his chances.”

Level-headed and mature beyond his mere 24 years, McNally speaks like a fighter who has studied every move and habit in the arsenal of Delehedy.

“He’s a big puncher and I’ve got to be wary of it,” assesses Joe. “It’s one of those fights where you could win every second of every round and then get caught with something silly and get knocked out. ‘Del’s not the most talented of boxers, but he can flat out bang. He’s one of those punchers that can whack you on the top of the head and put you to sleep.

“The plan will be to stay concentrated through every round and box ‘Del’s head off. I won’t be on the back foot or anything like that, but I’ll look to keep it medium to long range and just beat him to the punch. If the knockout comes, I’ll go for it. I know that if I catch him clean, he’ll go. I’m very confident in my punch power at light-middleweight. ‘Del’ will probably be seen as the puncher in the fight, but I believe I’ve got more than enough power to switch his lights out.”

Part of McNally’s delight at securing the intriguing all-Liverpool contest with Delehedy is the sense of fear and danger that comes with it. Facing a noted banger has never been so alluring.

“I don’t want to mix it up with ‘Del’ too much because he can really bang,” admits McNally. “It would be stupid to take risks. Still, it might be nice to test my own chin with a couple of little 10-ounce gloves. It could be fun to take a few whacks from a known puncher like ‘Del’.

“It’s the sort of fight that gets you out at six in the morning to do your running. I’m looking at doing a better job on ‘Del’ than anyone else has. I want to go out and make a statement. I want people to think, ‘where did this kid come from?’.”

*** McNally vs. Delehedy forms part of the undercard to HAYEMAKER 6: ‘The Mersey Beatdown’ on March 28 at the Echo Arena, Liverpool. Tickets for HAYEMAKER 6 can be purchased from www.accliverpool.com or by calling 0844 8000 400.