Tony Oakey Gets Chance For Boxing Revenge Against Peter Haymer

Hot on the heels of a magnificent 2007 for British boxing, Frank Maloney Promotions returns in force with a bad blood grudge match that is likely to be an early candidate for Fight of the Year honors. Sworn enemies at light heavyweight, Tony Oakey and Peter Haymer, will reprise their initial clash of June 2005 at the very same venue, London’s historic York Hall, on Friday, February 1, 2008.

All the elements that made the first battle such a gripping contest are still in place, but this time the stakes are much higher as it will be Oakey’s British title on the line, rather than Haymer’s former English crown, as was the case on that sweltering summer night two and a half years ago when the Londoner won the referee’s scorecard by a single point.

Oakey, 24-2-1 (6), is driven by the opportunity to exact revenge for what he perceives to be a clear injustice and is now closing in on a perfect chance to redraw his legacy. “I was in a bit of a shock when Haymer was declared the winner,” recalls Oakey.

“I was the aggressor and I thought I had controlled the fight the whole way through, where all he was interested in doing was holding. I was just in shock so I’m over the moon that Frank Maloney has been able to get me this voluntary defense against Haymer to put the record straight.”

The loss to Haymer shook the Portsmouth area man, who realized a change was in store if he was to ever return to the upper levels of the light heavy division in Britain. “I believe that I’m a class above Peter Haymer and to even struggle against him so that someone could have thought that he won it by a round, that for me was a big wake up story,” said Oakey.

“After that defeat, I had to sit down and talk to my trainer Ronnie Davis, who used to train world champion Chris Eubank, and the end result was that I moved up to London. The results speak for themselves as I’ve come to London, won the British title, defended it and now I’m training for Haymer again.”

Oakey has hopes to improve his career above British title level but knows he has to put on a stellar performance if he is to not only turn back Haymer but also stand out in a domestic division that already contains one world champion in Clinton Woods and possibly another in the form of Joe Calzaghe if the Welsh Wizard finally makes the long rumored jump to 175 pounds.

“I’ve got better quality sparring up here in London and I believe that I’m another 50 percent better than when I fought Haymer the first time,” said Oakey. “I believe that I’m a lot better prepared and I’m definitely more determined. I’m just looking forward to putting the record straight and moving onto bigger and better things.”

The undercard at York Hall features top heavyweight John McDermott, flashy super feather Kaash “The Bash” Bhatia, light heavyweights Tony Salem and Courtney Fry, welterweights Mark Thompson and Yassine El Maachi, lightweights Lee Cook and Danny Harding, along with super feather Henry Castle, welterweights Scott Woolford and Jamie Radford, light welter Ross Hewitt and Women’s boxing sensation Laura Saperstein.

Frank Maloney Promotions presents “The Return” featuring Tony Oakey vs. Peter Haymer for the Light Heavyweight Championship of Great Britain along with full undercard at York Hall in Bethnal Green, London, England on Friday, February 1, 2008.

Tickets are priced at £75 Ringside and £40 Open Seating and are available by logging onto www.frankmaloney.com or by calling the Box Office at 0871 226 1508. Doors open at 6:45PM with first bell at 7PM.

Sky Sports will televise live on SS1 starting at 9PM.

Press Release composed by Curtis McCormick for www.frankmaloney.com