British Boxing Round-up

ByCurtis McCormick

Since the new boxing season began in the UK, it’s been a fast and furious roller coaster ride. Some of the latest happenings involve the biggest names in the business right on down through former champions and highly touted novices. We’ll wrap it all up for you in one fell swoop as another highly charged weekend approaches.

Former British Welter Champ Neil Sinclair has backed out of a proposed challenge to Commonwealth Light Middle kingpin Ossie Duran. The Belfast based “Sinky” was due to meet the Chelmsford based Duran this Friday in a Sports Network charity show at the Hilton in London’s Mayfair section. Citing essentially what amounts to a lack of focus, the Ulsterman has dropped out and been replaced with the highly touted prospect from Fauldhouse, Colin McNeil. Promoter Frank Warren has organized the show at the Hilton to help raise funds for the charity DebRA, who promote research into the cause, nature, treatment and cure of the skin genetic disorder Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB). The idea is to raise the initial funding to develop the worlds first clinical research centre for EB at The Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children in London. Saddoboxing commends Mr. Warren and Sports Network for their efforts and encourages boxing fans to attend the event at the Hilton
or log onto www.frankwarren.tv to learn how to help turn the tide in the fight against EB.

Scott Harrison and Amir Khan are set to climb back through the ropes on November 5th in Glasgow. WBO Featherweight Champion Harrison’s opponent will be announced later this week with Australia’s Nedel Hussein a possible foe. The Cambuslang hardman is still eyeing a possible unification match with one of the other champions at 9 st/126lbs. Lightweight super prospect Khan is scheduled to meet 29 fight veteran Steve Gethin in just the Bolton teenager’s third pro test but given the razor sharp form the Olympic hero has show in his first two bouts, the Midlands campaigner will be hard pressed to take a round off of Khan.

British Light Middle Champion Jamie Moore will meet up with former two weight Southern Area beltholder David Walker this weekend in Manchester. The popular South London banger Walker may have to adopt a more cautious approach than he generally favors in the ring as Moore, a southpaw from Salford, is very dangerous with either hand and is just off a run of three wars with the talented Liverpool boxer Michael Jones.

The high profile contract dispute between IBF Light Welter Champion Ricky Hatton and Sports Network continues on and will soon come before the courts. Hatton has announced that he’ll face WBA titlist Carlos Maussa in Sheffield at the end of November in conjunction with Clinton Woods promoter Fight Academy while Sports Network contend they have legal documentation that binds the massively popular Manchester based “Hitman” to them promotionally for three more bouts.

Derry, Ireland’s John Duddy has had another success in the States, impressively knocking out opponent Joseph Brady in just a round in Massachusetts. With Irish Middleweight champ Matthew Macklin also campaigning in the US, a clash between the two should be somewhere just over the horizon, likely to take place in either the New York, Boston or Philadelphia areas.

Next Friday sees unbeaten Scotsman Kevin Anderson challenge the formidable Commonwealth Welter Champion Joshua Okine of Ghana in Kirkcaldy. Buckhaven’s Anderson will have his work cut out for him as Okine has already disposed of talented Manchester southpaw and former British Champion David Barnes in convincing fashion.