Boxing In Britain: Lindsay, Broadhurst Win Over Weekend

By Ricky Jones April 26th, 2009 All Boxing Results

Last night at Ulster Hall in Belfast, Northern Ireland, local man Martin Lindsay stepped up to the challenge during the biggest fight of his career by ripping the British Featherweight title from Scotland's Paul Appleby.

21 year old Appleby came into the bout unbeaten and with the reputation as one of the UK's top young fighters following his British title win over John Simpson and defense against Esham Pickering last year.

Lindsay had earned his shot at the featherweight crown by a shocking KO of former WBU kingpin Derry Matthews last year and the 26 year old had vowed not to disappoint his fans at Ulster Hall.

Once the bout began, Lindsay appeared to be the faster of the two combatants, beating the champion to the punch on most occasions. More...

Hayemaker Boxing: Lindsay Looks To Follow Dunne To World Title

By Boxing Press April 21st, 2009 All Press Releases

Belfast featherweight Martin Lindsay hopes to one day emulate countryman and WBA super bantamweight champion Bernard Dunne and scoop world title honours of his own.

Gearing up for this Saturday’s April 25 British title dust-up with Paul Appleby, the talented ‘Mac Man’ has been buoyed by the crowning of Ireland’s latest world champion. More...

Hayemaker Boxing: Lindsay Hopes Irish Luck Continues Against Appleby

By Boxing Press April 9th, 2009 All Press Releases

Belfast’s Martin Lindsay will look to take inspiration from the recent success of fellow Irish fighters, as he gears up for a shot at Paul Appleby’s British featherweight title.

Lindsay and Appleby will clash on April 25 at Belfast’s Ulster Hall and Irish favourite Lindsay is delighted to have home advantage. More...

Ringside Boxing Report: Undercard Of McCloskey vs. Harrison

By Jane Warburton March 14th, 2009 All Ringside Boxing

**With Slideshow**

© Jane Warburton / Saddo Boxing

Friday night at the Kingsway Leisure Centre in Widnes, England, Matchroom Sports hosted a fight night headlined by the British Light Welterweight title clash between Paul McCloskey and Dean Harrison with a superb lineup of undercard bouts.

Scottish boxer and British Featherweight titlist Paul Appleby faced Juan Garcia Martin of Tenerife in a six round non-title featherweight contest.

It was all action right from the bell and the Tenerife boxer was ‘scrappy’ - being warned almost immediately for hitting the back of Appleby's head. Appleby kept focussed and was the more accurate of the two. In the last minute of the first, Appleby lands a body-shot which causes Martin to gasp. Appleby follows up with a right, then a left to the head of Martin and referee Phil Edwards quickly jumps in to stop the contest.

Appleby wins by first round stoppage. His record now stands at 14-0 (9) and he will go onto face challenger Martin Lindsay for the British Featherweight title in April.

Next up was Barry McGuigan's young protégé - Troy James of Coventry - who faced Ibrar Riyaz of Reading in a four round featherweight contest.

Riyaz came out with ‘guns blazing’ in the opening half minute, forcing James on the backfoot, but a peach of a left hook hit the face of Riyaz and his legs wobbled momentarily.

Riyaz covers up but still manages to throw some punches. James seems to have gained some control by the end of the round and has Riyaz under pressure in the closing half-minute.

In round two, Riyaz lands some good right and left punches to the head of James. James goes for the body-shots and both men keep up the pace.
It’s still fast and furious in the last round and as they slug it out in the closing seconds - James lands a right, then a left and an uppercut and Riyaz looks like he might be stopped as he’s pressured back on the ropes. But the bell sounds the end of the contest and Troy James’s arm is raised aloft by referee Steve Grey.

It's a tough second successful fight for Troy James. Sky Sports Statistics reveal that James landed 81 of 382 punches as opposed to Riyaz’s 45 of 302.

Nick McDonald of Liverpool vs. Ian Bailey of Slough
Six round super-bantamweight contest.

McDonald dominated the fight - landing some accurate shots in the third resulting in Baileys’ corner pulling him out at the end of round three. Nick ‘2Slick’ McDonald improves to 2 wins, both early and 1 loss from a cut stoppage.

Steve Williams of Liverpool vs. Graeme ‘Dezzie’ Higginson of Blackburn
Eight round light welterweight contest.

Williams lands with some accurate right punches to the head of Higginson in the first minute of the fourth and almost throws Higginson against the ropes. ‘Dezzie’ looks dazed - his legs unsteady as he almost staggers across the canvas causing referee Steve Grey to call a halt to the contest.

Williams wins by TKO round 4. His record now stands at 7-0 (3).

Martin Ward of Newcastle vs. Anthony Hanna of Birmingham
Four round super bantamweight contest
Despite taking the fight at just 12 hours notice - Hanna put up a good effort against tough southpaw Ward to take him the distance on Ward's pro-debut.
Ward wins on points to notch up his first professional win.

Grzegorz Proksa of Poland vs. Lee Noble of Sheffield
Six round light middleweight contest
Noble never got in to this fight. In round two, he didn’t throw a single punch until the last 20 seconds of the frame, when he landed two of nine thrown, instead covering up tight against the powerful southpaw Proksa.

But even then - he still got caught with the shots and his torso and face were visibly reddened from the numerous blows that Proksa landed. Noble's trainer Brendan Ingle was clearly angry as he gave Noble a stern talking to during the intermission.

Round three sees Noble continue to cover up without throwing anything back at a persistent Proksa. Noble's corner throw in the towel with just over two minutes of the third remaining.

‘Super G’ Proksa, wins by TKO round three and improves to 17-0 (10).

Hayemaker Boxing: Lindsay Injured, Appleby Fight Postponed

By Boxing Press January 23rd, 2009 All Press Releases

Hayemaker Boxing regret to inform that Martin Lindsay’s attempts to win the British featherweight title from champion Paul Appleby on March 7 have been scuppered by injury.

The injury - picked up in sparring on Tuesday – has forced a postponement of the original March 7 contest, although both boxers will renew acquaintances at a later date. More...

Hayemaker Boxing: Appleby vs. Lindsay Tickets Now On Sale

By Boxing Press January 20th, 2009 All Press Releases

Tickets for the intriguing March 7 British featherweight title showdown between Paul Appleby and Martin Lindsay are now available to buy from the Ulster Hall Box Office.

Leading featherweights Appleby and Lindsay top the bill on March 7 at the Ulster Hall in Belfast with the coveted Lonsdale title at stake. More...

Hayemaker Boxing Serves Up Appleby vs. Lindsay Duel In Belfast March 2009

By Boxing Press December 11th, 2008 All Press Releases

Irish fight fans could witness one of the domestic fights of 2009 on "Hayemaker 5", when Belfast hero Martin ‘Mac Man’ Lindsay attempts to snatch the British Featherweight title from reigning champion Paul Appleby on March 7 at the Ulster Hall in Belfast.

The fascinating battle of unbeaten prospects will match Hayemaker star Lindsay against Scotsman Appleby, the current Boxing Writer’s ‘Young Boxer of the Year’. The intriguing 12 rounder will be screened live and exclusively on Setanta Sports. More...

Boxing In Britain: Appleby Defeats Pickering In Scotland

By Ricky Jones November 29th, 2008 All Boxing Results

Last night at Glasgow's Bellahouston Sports Centre, British Featherweight title challenger Paul Appleby, 13-0 (8), won his most important test to date by outpointing former super bantamweight triple champion Esham Pickering, 33-8 (13), after twelve rounds.

Appleby was aggressive from the start and looked to tire the aging Pickering but the Newark stylist drew on his long experience to survive the onslaught and even win a few rounds later in the bout when the champion began to flag from the effort.

But Pickering, never a big puncher, just couldn't keep his 21 year old antagonist off and loses the third bout over his last four outings on points. Appleby retains the British Featherweight title for the first time.

The man Appleby defeated to win that belt, fellow Scot John Simpson, 18-6 (6), was also in action on the bill, outpointing Kenyan import John Gicharu, 10-3-1 (5), in a competitive eight round featherweight contest.

Phenom Appleby Gets The Pickering Test In Glasgow

By Ricky Jones November 26th, 2008 All Boxing Previews

Rising Scottish boxing star Paul Appleby will be put to the test this Friday when the 21 year old sensation puts his British featherweight title on the line against his most experienced and dangerous opponent to date at Kelvin Hall in Glasgow.

The South Queensferry youngster turned professional in January, 2006, following an illustrious amateur career and battered his way up the ranks until gaining a British title shot against fellow Scot John Simpson in June.

After 12 arduous rounds of combat, Appleby, 12-0 (8), was declared the winner by close margins on all three cards but now must put his newly minted belt at risk against highly decorated former triple champion at super bantamweight, Esham Pickering.

Pickering, 33-7 (13), has had many ups and downs during his 12 year career. As a 21 year old in 1998, he lost a British featherweight title bid and two years later was blown out in the first round during a WBO bantamweight title challenge. More...

Boxing In Britain: Appleby Upsets Simpson To Win British Title

By Ricky Jones June 8th, 2008 All Boxing Results

The action on Friday night in Scotland was at Glasgow's Kelvin Hall where Paul Appleby shed his prospect status by taking the British Featherweight title from John Simpson via a very close 12 round unanimous decision.

Appleby, 12-0 (8), employed superior boxing skills to pull ahead early, dropping his fellow Scotsman Simpson in the fifth to take a decided edge.

But Simpson, 17-6 (6), wasn't going away and fought a hard-nosed effort in this see-saw battle all the way through the final bell only to lose a decision on the cards 115-113 and 115-114 twice.

There may very well be a rematch ordered by the British Board as the crucial knockdown in the fifth will certainly be disputed by Team Simpson.

On the undercard, lightweight Ryan Brawley, 9-0 (1), stopped former British Featherweight Champion Jamie McKeever, 18-9-1 (6), in seven.

McKeever, of Birkenhead near Liverpool, has now lost four on the bounce while Scottish southpaw Brawley won his first contest of 2008. More...

Boxing Preview: John Simpson vs. Paul Appleby

By Andrew Wake June 6th, 2008 All Boxing Previews

British title fights are almost always entertaining, but this Friday’s all Scottish clash at Kelvin Hall, Glasgow between champion John Simpson and hot prospect Paul Appleby could well turn out to be a mini classic.

In one corner, we have an experienced 24 year old belt holder who took the featherweight crown in his third attempt and will stop at nothing to keep it in his possession.

In the opposite corner, we have a relentless attacking machine who is determined to prove his mettle and become Bonnie Scotland’s youngest ever holder of the prestigious Lonsdale strap.

Some people have said that at just 20 years of age and with only 11 professional fights under his belt, Appleby is not ready for a contest of this magnitude but the truth is that the youngster from the Edinburgh district of South Queensferry has crammed a lot into his short term as a professional fighter.

Since his first paid outing against Blackburn’s Graeme “Dezzi” Higginson in January 2006, Appleby has got in some serious tuition, spending time at Freddie Roach’s world famous Wildcard Gym in Hollywood as well as Glenn McCrory’s Newcastle academy.

He’s also held his own in sparring with Scotland ’s latest world champion, Alex Arthur, and more recently, former British light-welterweight king Barry Morrison.

So, has this opportunity really come too soon for the prospect?

It seems not. More...

Exclusive Boxing Interview: Steven Bell

By Curtis McCormick April 24th, 2008 All Boxing Interviews

Image © Mike Cleary BoxingPhotographs.com

British super featherweight Steven Bell, 14-1 (5), has parlayed a heavily decorated stay as an amateur that saw him as Captain of Team England into a successful career as both a top level professional boxer and a burgeoning actor on some of his country's most popular current television shows and a highly acclaimed feature film.

SaddoBoxing had the good fortune to catch up with Steven as he continues his campaign to rule the 130 pound division in the British Isles and you want want to miss what the 32 year old had to say about his fascinating careers!

SaddoBoxing: How do you feel about your performance recently in beating iron-chinned light welter journeyman Baz Carey over six rounds?

Steven Bell: "Yeah, I have had two good wins now since that defeat [to Femi Fehintola] in October. I won every round against Carey without any problems and boxed the way I planned, so was happy with the performance. More...