CRAIG LYON will make the first defence of his English bantamweight title against Josh Wale later this month in a fascinating Lancashire-Yorkshire battle. They will clash on the undercard when Stephen Foster Jr’s defends his European super-featherweight title against Belgium’s Ermano Fegatilli in the Premier Suite at Bolton’s Reebok Arena on Saturday 26th February..
Lyon, 29, won the English title last October when Wale’s fellow Yorkshireman Ross Burkinshaw was pulled out by his corner after five rounds.
That win stretched his unbeaten record to 12 wins, but the St Helens man will have his work cut out against Wale in their ten rounder.
Barnsley’s Wale, 22, was desperately unlucky in a Prizefighter super-bantamweight tournament nine months ago, losing a semi-final split decision to Willie Casey who won the event and next month fight’s for the world title.
Wale comes in this fight fresh off a points win over Yoan Boyeaux, and Hatton Promotions head Ricky Hatton said: “This will be a thriller and might even steal the show.
“What excites me even more that we have two genuine prospects looking to fight the best and not avoid tough contests.
“This is the sort of contest that will launch a career and TV viewers on the night are in for a lot of excitement.”
Also fighting on the Sky televised bill is Mancunian Olympic star Joe Murray. He is up against tough Frenchman Daniel Kodjo Sassou who recently took Scott Quigg 12 rounds.
Others hopefuls on the undercard include Belarusian star Sergey Rabchenko tackles former Commonwealth light-middleweight champion Martin Concepcion, Keiron Maher faces Lester Walsh, Richard Towers meets Daniel Bispo, Adam Etches fights Aleksei Tsatiasvili. Dezzie Higginson and Jack Perry meet selected opponents.
Tickets for’ Night of Champions’ £35, £55 (Ringside) and £75 VIP Ringside, www.brandhatton.com /0844 847 2500/0161 775 7500
FOSTER: I FEEL LIKE I AM A CHALLENGER
STEPHEN FOSTER JR is waking up every morning and forgetting that he will be defending his European super-featherweight championship later this month.
The Salford boxer puts his title up for grabs against mandatory contender Ermano Fegatilli in the Premier Suite at Bolton’s Reebok Stadium on Friday February 26.
Foster, 30, caused one of the upsets of 2010 when he knocked out Levan Kirakosyan inside three rounds to win the European crown.
And the pressure is in to deliver in front of the Sky TV cameras in a tough first defence against a smart boxing Belgian.
He admitted: “It does feel different now that I am a champion, but that doesn’t mean I am under-estimating Fegatilli.
“I am going in there with the mind-set like I am a challenger and training harder than ever. I have put so much in to get this far.”
Foster, who has won 28 of his 31 fights believes he might earn a shot at WBO champion Ricky Burns in the next 18 months.
He added: “I hope the Burns fight happens, but I can’t worry about him. I have just got to keep winning and see what happens.”
Also fighting on the bill is Mancunian Olympic star Joe Murray. He is up against tough Frenchman Daniel Kodjo Sassou who recently took Scott Quigg 12 rounds.
Others hopefuls on the undercard include Belarusian star Sergey Rabchenko,Keiron Maher, Richard Towers, Sheffield’s big ticket seller Adam Etches and Dezzie Higginson
Tickets for’ Night of Champions’ £35, £55 (Ringside) and £75 VIP Ringside, www.brandhatton.com /0844 847 2500/0161 775 7500
McAleese Backs Ochieng To Beat Noble This Saturday
Light Middleweight prospect ‘Phat’ Pat McAleese today gave his full support to Erick ‘The Eagle’ Ochieng by stating that his Ultrachem TKO Boxing Gym mate will easily defeat Lee ‘Lightning’ Noble this Saturday at the Frank Maloney promoted Jamie Arthur vs Jason Booth Commonwealth Super Bantamweight title clash at the Brentwood Leisure Centre, Brentwood, Essex.
The only blemishes on McAleese’s otherwise immaculate record have come courtesy of Noble. The first, at Goresbrook Leisure Centre in March last year, was declared a draw by referee Richard James Davis even though McAleese had a superior work rate and had landed the more meaningful shots throughout.
The rematch, at Steve Goodwin’s excellent ‘It’ Personal’ event in September, had far more at stake, being it was for the vacant British Masters Light Middleweight title.
For almost nine rounds McAleese not just outworked Noble, he plain dominated him. Noble’s work rate was exceptionally poor, he seemed content to cover up and absorb the constant barrage of punches, only occasionally responding with the odd jab or flurry here and there.
In the dying seconds of the ninth round Noble let rip with a peach of a right uppercut. It was a near perfect shot and dropped McAleese on the spot.
On learning that Ultrachem TKO gym mate Ochieng’s replacement opponent for Saturday’s Sky Sports televised event was to be Noble, Newmarket’s McAleese was quick to show his support by saying, “I don’t think Erick will have too much trouble, he hits hard, he’s got a fast jab. When I fought him (Lee Noble) I was eight rounds up going into the ninth round but just got caught by a lucky shot.
I think Erick’s a little bit more cagey, I think he’ll pick Noble off and out work him. Noble’ll find it hard because he’ll be hitting down a lot, being taller and Erick gets really low. I think he’ll find it really hard to fight Erick.
Erick will come through with flying colours.”
Switching tack McAleese spoke a little about his last bout as well as his upcoming fight on March 19th and the possibility of a second rematch between himself and Noble, “Trilogy, I’d like to fight him again. I’m fighting on the 19th March and then I’ve got a show on the 30th April, which is in Newmarket where I live.
I’ve boxed him (Noble) twice. The first one I thought I’d won hands down but they gave a draw. The last time I was eight rounds up going into the ninth and got caught by a lucky shot.
I think a third time I’ll want to just put my mind to rest. Neither of them should have been negatives on my record, I just want to set the record straight.
I’ve been working well with Johnny Eames and Brian O’Shaughnessy, who’s my new co-trainer. Doing loads and loads of new things. Come 19th March I’m going to come out a much improved fighter.
Hopefully I’ll get the win and then look for a rematch with Noble.”
‘Phat’ Pat McAleese will next be in action at the Steve Goodwin promoted ‘Essex Eruption’ event, headlined by Tony Conquest and Yassine El Maachi, at the Goresbrook Leisure Centre in Dagenham, Essex, on Saturday 19th March 2011.
Tickets for ‘Essex Eruption’ at the Goresbrook Leisure Centre, Dagenham, Essex on Saturday 19th March 2011 are on sale now – priced £35 (Unreserved) or £60 (Ringside).
For tickets call: 07960 850645, book on-line at www.tkoboxoffice.com or in person at The Ultrachem TKO Gym, Gillian House, Stephenson Street, Canning Town, London E16 4SA.