By Elliot Foster, junior reporter
Beatles fan Derry Mathews is hoping for a 'little help from his friends' as he prepares for his IBO lightweight world title fight with unbeaten Italian Emiliano Marsili in January.
I caught up with Derry at Oliver's Gym in Salford on Friday and he admitted his preparations for the January 20th fight are "going superb." But he also revealed his sparring will step up a level after Christmas when he invites friend, Great Britain Olympian and 2012 medal hope, 27-year-old Tom Stalker to join his camp.
Derry said: "My preparation's been fantastic. I've been in training with Oliver [Harrison] already for around seven weeks. Training is going well and you only have to look at who I'm training alongside - Martin Murray , who come next week will be the new world champion. I'm also with the likes of Tony Dodson, Joe Tonks, Rocky Fielding and Karl Skeggs - we're just the Liverpool lads that come up to Manchester every day. At the moment the gym's buzzing and we're all bouncing off each other.
"But I need world class sparring too, to prepare me for such a tough unbtean opponent, and hopefully that's where Tom comes in. He's my first choice for sparring partner for this fight and I hope he's able to make it happen. I'm up against a tough opponent and I'm feeling capable of going out there and doing the job on my own turf, in front of my own fans."
Stalker will captain the Great Britain boxing team into the ring when the Games returns to London next summer. Like Mathews, a product of the renowned Salisbury ABC, the Huyton southpaw will be one of the nation's strongest medal hopes when the bells rings in the capital.
Tickets for the January 20th IBO lightweight title fight between Derry Mathews and Emiliano Marsili, which also includes an undercard packed with homegrown Scouse talent and 34-year-old American veteran Steve Forbes, are available from the Liverpool Olympia box office on 0151 2636633.
Monday 28 November 2011
Thursday 24 November 2011
NEW OPPONENT FOR DERRY!
Derry Mathews' vacant IBO world title challenge on January 20th has been given a new look after a switch of opponent.
The former WBU champion will now meet Italian lightweight champion Emiliano Marsili at the Liverpool Olympia, after Russian star Alisher Rahimov was pulled from the bill. However, things certainly don't get any easier for the former 'Golden Boy' as Marsili also boasts an unbeaten professional record.
The veteran Italian is also a southpaw, while his 24-fight run is spread over an eight-year career and he will arrive on Merseyside riding on the back of a first round knockout in July. However, that was the man from Lazio's only outing of 2011, and his trip to Liverpool will also be the first fight he has ever had not on home soil.
Promoter Stephen Vaughan Jnr made the announcement via Twitter today, with former champ Mathews adding: "I'm gutted over Rahimov pulling out but now fighting unbeaten Italian."
The Olympia undercard features a wealth of Scouse talent, including John Watson, Nathan Brough, Steve Harkin, Joe Tonks, Andy Colquhoun and the pro debut of Chris Kelly.
Plus, former world champion Stevie Forbes is also mooted to be fighting on the card, in a fight that promoters hope will tee up a blockbuster showdown with Derry later in the New Year.
Tickets are available from the Olympia box office.
The former WBU champion will now meet Italian lightweight champion Emiliano Marsili at the Liverpool Olympia, after Russian star Alisher Rahimov was pulled from the bill. However, things certainly don't get any easier for the former 'Golden Boy' as Marsili also boasts an unbeaten professional record.
The veteran Italian is also a southpaw, while his 24-fight run is spread over an eight-year career and he will arrive on Merseyside riding on the back of a first round knockout in July. However, that was the man from Lazio's only outing of 2011, and his trip to Liverpool will also be the first fight he has ever had not on home soil.
Promoter Stephen Vaughan Jnr made the announcement via Twitter today, with former champ Mathews adding: "I'm gutted over Rahimov pulling out but now fighting unbeaten Italian."
The Olympia undercard features a wealth of Scouse talent, including John Watson, Nathan Brough, Steve Harkin, Joe Tonks, Andy Colquhoun and the pro debut of Chris Kelly.
Plus, former world champion Stevie Forbes is also mooted to be fighting on the card, in a fight that promoters hope will tee up a blockbuster showdown with Derry later in the New Year.
Tickets are available from the Olympia box office.
Fans ask for 'Swifty' Smith title chance after Groves pulls out!
Merseyside fight fans are urging promoter Frank Warren to put Stephen Smith back into championship action at the Liverpool Echo Arena on December 9th after the card was hit by the withdrawal of the headline fight.
British and Commonwealth super-middleweight champion George Groves has had to withdraw from the Friday night card due of a hand injury, leaving Olympian James DeGale's latest interim title defence as the main event.
Despite Warren remaining tight-lipped about a second title fight being added to the card earlier today, he is thought to be working tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure that the event is bolstered by a second title match-up.
In today's statement, he said: "It's disappointing for everyone concerned, but George can't fight if his hand is injured and if he did go ahead and put in a sub-par performance we don't want to make excuses. He'll have a good rest and treatment and I'll look to get him back out early next year which will be a big one for him. It's still a cracking show with James DeGale now headlining and our best talent from Liverpool all in action including Stephen and Liam Smith, Joe Selkirk and Paul Butler. Unbeaten prospects Billy Joe Saunders and Callum Johnson are also on the card along with the pro-debut of Damon Jones."
Smith lost his unbeaten record and British featherweight title in September, when Lee Selby came to Merseyside and caught the former amateur star cold, forcing a shocking eighth round stoppage. Yet 'Swifty' has been eager to set things right sooner rather than later.
The card is already suffering after being switched from London only last week and the withdrawal of marquee champion Groves will undoubtedly effect ticket sales. Only a homegrown title match-up is guaranteed revitalise the action at the box office.
Meanwhile, Groves' injury occurred during a training session this week at Groves' gym in Vauxhall, South London, and after seeking expert medical guidance, he was advised not to fight. He was due to joint-headline alongside old rival DeGale – who's defence of the WBO Intercontinental title against Jose Maria Guerrero will now top the bill on the show.
Last month Groves produced a career-best performance to stop former British champion Paul Smith in the second round at Wembley Arena and was looking to end a memorable year that also included a win over rival DeGale. His loss to this card is disastrous.
Groves said: "I'm really gutted as I was coming along nicely in training and on course for the fight in a couple of weeks' time. The injury is a set back and I really wanted to end the year with four good wins. I'm sorry that my fans won't be able to see me in action, but I'll back early next year and ready to kick of 2012 with bang as I continue towards further titles."
Adam Booth, Groves' manager and trainer, added: "Obviously we are all disappointed as George was looking forward to getting back into the ring again so quickly after his great win over Paul Smith. At this stage of George's career it would be crazy to compromise him and carry an injury of that nature into the fight. He's been advised to rest it for now and we'll seek further medical guidance next week."
Wednesday 16 November 2011
GROVES AND DeGALE LIVERPOOL BOUND!
A wealth of Merseyside fighting talent will dominate the undercard when Frank Warren makes a surprising yet welcome return to the Liverpool Echo Arena early next month.
Warren's double-title fight card planned for the ExCeL London on Friday, December 9th – joint-headlined by George Groves and James DeGale in separate championship fights – has been switched to the Liverpool Echo Arena on the same date.
The ExCeL were unable to stage the event due to their Olympic test event commitment and, with no other London venue available, Ian Congdon from the Echo Arena jumped at the chance to stage another international boxing event at the city's premier venue.
Last month Scouse star Tony Bellew and Nathan Cleverly fought a tremendous battle for the WBO light-heavyweight title at the venue in one of the best fights seen in recent years, and in July John Murray and Kevin Mitchell were also involved in a thrilling fight at the same venue.
The top quality card, screened live on BoxNation, will also feature Olympian Billy Joe Saunders in a 10-round international contest, backed up with Merseyside's best talent including: former British and Commonwealth featherweight champion Stephen Smith; his younger brother, unbeaten, welterweight Liam Smith; big-punching light-
DeGale will take on tough Spaniard Jose Guerrero in the first defence of his WBO Intercontinental super-middleweight title, while his great rival Groves will defend his Commonwealth title against a challenger to be confirmed.
Promoter Frank Warren said, "I'm grateful that Ian Congdon and his team at the Liverpool Echo Arena stepped in to stage the event. With the great fights we've had recently at the arena with Cleverly v Bellew and Murray v Mitchell, plus cracking title fights with Paul Smith in the past, Liverpool has now become the hotbed of British boxing. The fans are fantastic and really love their boxing and come out and support the shows so I'm delighted that James and George plus all the local lads will feature on the card."
Customers who have purchased tickets for the ExCeL show can contact Frank Warren Promotions Box Office manager Tony Vincent on 1992 550 88 to upgrade their ticket or get a full refund from their original point of purchase.
Tickets for the Echo Arena show are priced at £40, £50, £75 and £100 and are available from:
Liverpool Echo Arena
Box Office: 0844 8000 400
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