Olympic champion James DeGale will get his first taste of domestic opposition on June 27 when he tackles former Irish champion Ciaran Healy. “Chunky” has won his first two professional fights, including an impressive first round demolition of unbeaten Czech Jindrich Kubin last time out in Belfast. And he’ll be looking for another blitz at the O2 Arena, London, when he’s part of the undercard to Amir Khan’s WBA light-welterweight title challenge against Andreas Kotelnik..
“Healy’s been around a bit and will be a good test,” said 23-year-old DeGale.
“My confidence is buzzing after my last fight, and I’m going in there looking to make another statement.
“Healy went six rounds with Paul Smith in his second to last fight, and Smith is a seasoned professional who’s on the fringe of world class.
“I’ll be looking for a knockout, but I’m prepapring for a hard fight.”
Healy, 34 and from Belfast, Northern Ireland, won his last fight when he beat Matt Scriven in his home city.
Bantamweight Kooner chasing Heavyweight Honours
He already shares a background story with former Heavyweight Champ Lennox Lewis and now exciting puncher Andrew Singh Kooner wants to replicate Lewis’ achievements in the ring.
Kooner like Lewis was born in England but raised in Canada where he started his boxing career. Kooner enjoyed a glorious amateur career which included a European Junior Gold medal, a World Junior Silver medal, Bronze and Silver medals at Consecutive Commonwealth Games and appearances at the Sydney and Athens Olympics.
Now Kooner wants to follow in Lewis footsteps by winning British and Commonwealth titles in the pro ranks en route to World title glory. The Kettering born fighter features on the undercard of Hennessy Sports “Rule Britannia” event at the Robin Park Arena in Wigan this Saturday (June 13th).
British Lightweight Champ John Murray tops the bill, which is live on ITV4 as he looks to make the second defence of his title against reigning English Champ Scott Lawton while Kooner will be hoping that an impressive win on the undercard will put him in the frame for a title fight.
Kooner’s last visit to the U.K. saw him score a stunning one punch KO over Gavin Reid in a candidate for the 2008 Knockout of the Year. He then went on to win the Canadian Bantamweight title but injury has sidelined the 30-year-old since last September and he admits it’s been a difficult period.
“The past several months have been really frustrating for me,” revealed Kooner. “I suffered a severe injury in sparing and had to undergo surgery. I’ve been forced to watch on from ringside and that’s been very hard because every fibre of my being was dying to get back in to the ring. I was even in the gym with a heavy cast training like a mad man. I’m not sure if my Doctor would have approved, but I was obsessed with getting back in the gym and fighting again.”
Kooner is determined to get back on track in Wigan on Saturday night. “I’ve come back faster, stronger and smarter from the injury. I’ve been working very hard with my trainer Chris Johnson and he has really put everything together and fine tuned my style.”
At 30 Kooner knows that he needs to have a big 12 months if he is to realise his undoubted potential. “This year has to be the year that I make my mark on the World scene. I would love a shot at the British and Commonwealth belts in the next few months and like all Hennessy Sports fighters I really want to go down the proper traditional route by working my way to a World title shot.
“If Mick Hennessy and Adam Harris can deliver those fights for me then I’ll be ready and I won’t disappoint.”
Kooner has taken inspiration from the exploits of stablemate Carl Froch on the World stage and he says that witnessing the WBC Super Middleweight Champ’s stunning win over Jermain Taylor in April has made him more determined than ever to go all the way in the sport.
“I’ve seen the success some of my stable mates have been having on the international scene and that has really fired me up. Carl Froch knocking out Jermain Taylor in the last round was unbelievable, it was like something out of a Rocky movie and I want to follow in his footsteps.”
With the “Rule Britannia” event being shown on both sides of the Atlantic Kooner is hoping to catch the eye of TV viewers this weekend. “I’m really looking forward to fighting on ITV and on Super Channel back in Canada. My family and friends from the U.K. and Canada can both tune in and watch and it’s great exposure for me on both sides of the pond.”
The John Murray – Scott Lawton British Lightweight title fight headlines a big night of boxing at the Robin Park Arena, Wigan on Saturday, June 13th. Kooner will feature on the undercard alongside unbeaten Heavyweight sensation Tyson Fury who will have his seventh professional outing while in a battle of Champions, Central Area title holder Nadeem Siddique takes on Southern Area Champ, Tom Glover.
Hot prospects Steve “Super Bad” Barnes and Phill Fury also feature with Bobby “Boogaloo” Ward, the last Englishman to defeat Amir Khan making his pro debut on the card.
Tickets are available from the Ticketline box office on 0844 888 4402 or via www.ticketline.co.uk.
Legendary trainer Ingle tracking progress of Siddique and Barnes
Despite having clocked up over 60 years in boxing Brendan Ingle’s infectious enthusiasm for the sport shows no sign of diminishing. The Ingle name has become synonymous with the careers of renowned champions such as “Prince” Naseem Hamed, Junior Witter, Johnny Nelson and Herol “Bomber” Graham and the conveyor belt of champions from the legendary Wincobank gym in Sheffield shows no signs of slowing down.
Two of the gyms brightest talents will see action the Robin Park Arena in Wigan this Saturday (June 13th) as part of the supporting cast to the John Murray – Scott Lawton British Lightweight title fight.
The Hennessy Sports event is live on ITV4 and Ingle believes that his charges, lightweight contender Nadeem “Golden Boy” Siddique and 18-year-old featherweight protégé Steve “Super Bad” Barnes, are two to look out for.
Reigning Central Area Champ Siddique will be looking to bounce back from the first defeat of his 23 fight career when he takes on Southern Area title holder Tom Glover while Barnes will go in search of his third win in the pro ranks.
Bradford native Siddique has been out of the ring for almost a year following his thrilling battle with Martin Gethin last July. He returns to scene of that defeat this weekend but Ingle has no concerns about the 31-year-old.
“Nadeem’s had a setback but all fighters have setbacks and its how you come back from those setbacks that matter. He’s a big family man and he took some time out after the defeat to spend some time with his family and to rest a back injury that had been bothering him but he’s been back in the gym a while now and he’s been training very hard.
“He’s a very exciting lad and he works very hard so I expect him to be back to his best on Saturday night and I see no reason why he shouldn’t be looking at the winner of the main event and looking to challenge them.”
Ingle will also be on hand in Wigan to check on the progress of Steve Barnes who despite only turning 18 last month has already racked up two wins in the pro ranks.
“People should look out for this kid because trust me, he can fight,” enthused Ingle. “He’s something else and one of those young lads you see coming through and think to yourself, ‘he’s that little bit special’. He won 4 National titles as an amateur and I think he’ll finish up in the pro game having won everything out there. He really is that good.
“He can do it all, he can box orthodox, southpaw and switch from one to the other but he just loves to get in there and have a fight as well. He’s a very quiet, serious kid. Unlike a lot of our boxers he’s not a talker and he’s not brash. He has that poker face and he just gets in there and does his business in the ring.”
Siddique and Barnes feature on the undercard of the Hennessy Sports “Rule Britannia” event at the Robin Park Arena, Wigan on Saturday, June 13th. The main event sees John Murray making the second defence of his British Lightweight title against reigning English Champ Scott Lawton.
Heavyweight sensation Tyson Fury will have his seventh professional outing on the card with his cousin Phill Fury also featuring alongside the pro debut of Bobby “Boogaloo” Ward, the last Englishman to defeat Amir Khan. Exciting puncher Andrew Singh Kooner completes the line-up.
Tickets are available from the Ticketline box office on 0844 888 4402 or via www.ticketline.co.uk.