JAMIE ARTHUR reckons his American moles have delivered the blueprint for shocking Scott Quigg this weekend. The Welshman starts a huge underdog when he challenges for Quigg’s British super-bantamweight title at Bolton’s Reebok Stadium on Saturday (4th February).
The former Commonwealth champion, 32, claims friends in California watched unbeaten Quigg train on a recent visit the Wild Card gym and saw weaknesses.
Arthur (18-5) said: “Scott is technically a good fighter.
“I have seen all his fights on TV and spoken to a lot of people about his style and what he does in the ring and gym.
“I have friends at the Wild Card gym that saw him in America and they have told me plenty. I know quite a lot about his history.”
Arthur hasn’t boxed since losing a controversial decision 12 months ago against Jason Booth – the man Quigg stopped to become champion in October.
“Everything has gone perfectly and I believe that I can cause an upset,” he promised.
Boxing on the same bill is former Commonwealth and European champion Rendall Munroe who could face the main event winner. The Leicester southpaw meets Argentinian Jose Saez in a non-title eight rounder.
Joe Murray meets a selected opponent, hopefully for the vacant English featherweight crown.
The card will also include Stephen Foster Jr v Yauheni Kruhlik. Matty Askin v Attila Palko, Craig Lyon v Yuri Voronin, Jazza Dickens v Michael Ramabaletsa, Feargal McCrory v Jason Nesbitt and Tasif Khan v Selected Opponent.
Boxing starts at 6.15pm and tickets priced at £35, £55 and £75 VIP ringside. You can buy by calling 01925 755 222, Ticketmaster 0844 847 2500, Ticketline 0844 888 9991 or online www.hattonboxing.com
Margules Congratulates Prescott for Knockout Victory
Leon Margules of Warriors Boxing wishes to congratulate his fighter, super lightweight contender Breidis “The Khanqueror” Prescott (25-4, 20 KOs), for his KO 3 over Joel Cassiani at Coliseo Cubierto in Puerto Colombia, Colombia, on Friday night.
With the victory, Prescott, from Barranquilla, Colombia, and now living in Miami, Florida, climbed back in the victory column after two tough losses to top world-title contenders.
Prescott dropped a very debatable decision to highly-rated Irishman Paul McCloskey in Ireland last September and then, in November, was putting a beating on feared contender Mike Alvarado before running out of gas and getting caught in the last round on the Pacquio/Marquez undercard.
“Breidis needed a victory like this,” said a happy Margules, post-fight. “The bad decision to McCloskey and then running out of gas when he was hammering Alvarado were both disappointing setbacks, but a win like this will help him put it all back together.”
According to Margules, Prescott’s two losses said more for his worth as a top contender than several of his previous victories.
“Those were two elite contenders in the 140-lb division and Breidis beat McCloskey anywhere but Ireland and was putting a serious beating on Alvarado for most of their fight. If anything, it proves he belongs among the best of the best. We’ll be looking to put him in with another top opponent in the near future.”
Never short on words, Prescott says he continues his quest to once-again defeat UK former world champion Amir Kham (whom he destroyed via 54-second KO 1) and is also looking to face a number of other fellow super lightweight elites.
“If (WBA, IBF Champion and fellow Khanqueror) Lamont Peterson was down from Amir Khan’s powder-puff punches, he won’t wake up for a week from one of mine. Same thing goes for Marcos the Maiden (Maidana). If Khan can put you down, then I can put you to sleep. (WBO Champion) Timothy Bradley seems to have a long list of guys he’s afraid of. Am I another one? Ask him. I made a mistake against Alvarado in getting tired of hitting him. And McCloskey ran for his life and his neighbors, the judges, gave him the fight. These mistakes will never happen again. I want a title belt around my waist and no one can stop me ever again.”
SCOTTY CARDLE SIGNS WITH MATCHROOM SPORT
Team GB star set for Sky Sports debut on Kell Brook undercard
Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Sport are delighted to announce that Team GB star Scott Cardle has signed promotional terms with the company.
Commonwealth champion Cardle will campaign at Lightweight and make his professional debut on the undercard of Kell Brook’s Welterweight showdown with Matthew Hatton at the Motorpoint Arena Sheffield on March 17, live on Sky Sports.
“I’m over the moon to be turning pro and joining Matchroom Sport,” said Cardle. “It’s been a long time coming, I’ve been training in the gym for four months now just itching to get it sorted, so I’m delighted that I’ve signed with Eddie and we have the first date to aim for.
“Eddie seems as excited as me and he’s showing a lot of faith in me by putting me on the Kell Brook undercard – and I’ll repay that faith. I already feel really settled with Eddie and Matchroom so it’s a great start.
“After coming out of the shock loss to French Champion Alexis Vastine, I really thought I would be going to the Olympics, so it took me a good few weeks to get over it. But I’ve got the love back now and I’m back to the way I want to be and I feel like I’m going to settle into the pro game straight away.”
Cardle joins Matchroom Sport’s growing stable alongside two-time WBC Super-Middleweight champion Carl Froch, unbeaten Welterweight star Kell Brook, World Middleweight title challenger and former undefeated European champion Darren Barker, former World Light Welterweight champion and current European Lightweight champion Gavin Rees, World Light Welterweight title challenger and former unbeaten European champion Paul McCloskey, unbeaten Commonwealth Super Bantamweight king Carl Frampton, former British Welterweight champion Lee Purdy and fellow rising stars, Erick Ochieng, John Ryder, Ryan Aston and Tommy Ghent.
Promoter Eddie Hearn added: “I’m delighted to have secured the signature of Scott and welcome him to our growing team of quality fighters. Scott has a great pedigree through his GB experiences having represented our country at elite level throughout the World. He has impressed me with his ability, focus, hard work and determination and is exactly the kind of fighter we want on our team. I can’t wait for his debut on March 17th and I know that we and our broadcast partner Sky Sports will make a big fuss of his career and progress.”
You can follow Scott Cardle’s progress on Twitter @ScottyCardle and with @MatchroomBoxing
Tickets for Kell Brook vs. Matthew Hatton with Scott Cardle’s debut on the undercard priced £30 (tiered), £60 (tiered/floor) and £100 (ringside) are available from the Motorpoint Arena Sheffield Box Office on 0114 256 5656 or online at www.motorpointarenasheffield.co.uk