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“In Manchester, we’ve got this great competition between the big gyms, especially Billy Graham’s gym and ours. It’s good healthy competition that keeps everyone on edge because everyone wants to be the best, don’t they?”–Matthew Hall: intent on putting Brian Hughes’ gym back in the spotlight.
Undefeated light middleweight prospect Matthew Hall accompanied stable-mate Robin Reid to America last week, helping the former WBC super middleweight champion prepare for his title challenge of current IBF boss Jeff Lacy. Although Reid’s bid unraveled amid a hail of knockdowns, for young Hall the experience was eye opening. Now back in Britain, the Manchester man gears up to continue his campaign in a weight class well stocked with talented fighters who are all seeking to knock off British champion Jamie Moore. We were fortunate enough to have spoken with the power punching Matthew along with his trainer and Manchester fight fixture for over forty years, Brian Hughes, while they were in Florida and will now set about examining the career and bright future of Matthew Hall.
Since entering the paid ranks in three years ago, Hall has feasted on his opposition, amassing an unbeaten record of thirteen wins, seven early and no losses. The twenty-one- year-old has had to overcome an assault in 2003 that found him stabbed repeatedly in the abdominals while in a Manchester pub selling tickets. While forced to stay out of the ring for a year while he recovered from the attack, the Mancunian is feeling better than ever and shows no signs whatsoever of the injury during fights
Hall’s trainer Brian Hughes has high hopes for his boxer and feels his successful amateur career was no fluke. “Matthew is like a replica of Tony Ayala when he was younger,” said Hughes. “He’s got the same style, but not the same temperament by the way, as he boxes in the same way. I’ve been coaching him since he was about fourteen and he won National Schoolboy Championships and Junior ABA Championships. He won a Gold Medal boxing for England in the Multi Nations by knocking out all four of his opponents. Matthew is one of these exciting kids who comes along now and again and he’s developing quite nicely.”
Tough as nails English journeyman and former British Masters and Midlands Area titlist Matt Scriven can attest to that as the Nottingham man was knocked out by Hall in two rounds of pitched battle fury just two months ago. “I didn’t think I put on a good performance against Scriven until I watched the tape,” said the prospect. “I did a few things right early on but I didn’t get my head moving quick enough. Once I started using my head movement and angles, that’s when I started getting my shots in. I always knew I’d take him out the first time I caught him proper.”
Brian Hughes has been around the Manchester fight scene since the 1960’s and the trainer’s gym is currently bursting with skillful fighters such as Robin Reid, Michael Jennings, Thomas McDonagh, David Barnes, Tony Doherty and others, providing Hall with a deep well of sparring partners. All those years working with top-level boxers has also equipped Hughes with a shrewd eye for talent. “Matthew is one of those fighters whose every contest is like a David and Goliath situation,” he said. “His opponents are all bigger than he is; Matthew is just a short, chunky fellow but he bobs, weaves, rolls and can really punch. He’s got quite a good defense and we’re working on his counter punching. He’s a very, very exciting fighter, honestly he is, I just hope that we can get a plan together to get Matthew more experience in America.
“Frank Warren told us that Matthew will be boxing at the end of September. Matthew’s contract expires that month so Frank wants us to come down to London and have a chat; a meeting to find out where we’re going. Lots of things have been happening with the television as Frank has moved over to ITV so I need to get a couple of things sorted out for Matthew, but he is a really great prospect.”
Right now Hall is looking forward to getting back to work in preparation for his September date but the Mancunian has big plans for his future complete with just how he’s going to get there. “I’d like to fight Jamie Moore, the British champion, in about ten month’s time when I’ve had a bit more experience. I would fancy myself in that fight now but after I’ve had a few eight and ten rounders, I’ll be more equipped for the job. I think a good fight for me would be against Delroy Mellis. He’s a tough, tough lad and he’s up there in terms of experience. I think he’d give me a good tussle and is the type of opponent I’d need to fight before I get a title bout.
“I’d also like to get in the ring with Andrew Facey, the English champion. I think Jamie Moore showed the way to fight him; just keep your hands high and come over the top because Facey leaves his chin exposed a bit. He’s unorthodox but he’s also wide open. I’m just real eager to get going and since I came back from the stabbing I’ve knocked most of my opponents out and that’s giving away a lot of weight in those fights as well. In Manchester, we’ve got this great competition between the big gyms, especially Billy Graham’s gym and ours. It’s good healthy competition that keeps everyone on edge because everyone wants to be the best, don’t they?”
SaddoBoxing would like to thank Matthew Hall and Brian Hughes for making this article possible.
Contact Curtis McCormick at thomaspointrd@aol.com
