My Excellent Double Title Fight Boxing Weekend

By Frank Maloney

This is a weekend that I’m really looking forward to. My fighter Martin Power defends his British Bantamweight title at York Hall on a Maloney Promotions bill tonight and then tomorrow on Guy Fawkes Night, which if you’re British you will know is the night in history that Guy Fawkes tried to blow up the British Parliament. Unfortunately, he failed and we are now stuck with people who if they didn’t have jobs with the Houses of Parliament, would probably be unemployed. On Saturday, another of my fighters, Scott Harrison, will be creating his own fireworks up in Glasgow at the Braehead Arena against Nedel Hussein in what will be his ninth defense, over two title reigns, of the WBO Featherweight crown.

Martin Power knows that British Boxing is looking for a star to arrive and he’ll be looking to stake his claim in that department. Martin has never been in a dull fight and he follows in the footsteps of former great British bantamweight stars such as Alan Rudkin, Walter McGowan, Johnny Clark and Patrick Maguire.

Even though everyone’s interest may be on the ExCel Centre in London on December the 10th, for the Danny Williams – Audley Harrison heavyweight showdown, you can bet there will be a lot of interest on York Hall tonight, when the colourful Martin Power will look to prove his claim that he is the main that can resurrect the bantamweight division in Britain.

Martin’s opponent Ian Napa is a fighter who started his pro career with me and is probably one of the most talented fighters I’ve ever come across, but always seems to lack something in the big contests. Napa knows this will be his last chance on this level and will be doing his utmost to outfox and outthink Martin Power.

Napa has been working terrifically hard during his sparring session and has been mapping out a game plan with Brian Lawrence, who is highly respected in the boxing community, to achieve his dream of winning a Lonsdale Belt. Napa has fought for the British title at flyweight and he has fought for a title at super bantamweight and now he’s found the division where he feels the most comfortable and that is as a bantamweight. Napa feels that his experience will be enough to outsmart the robust and flashy Martin Powers.

October 31st was Halloween Night and it would have been a great time to stage the Power – Napa fight as Napa is full of tricks and shiftiness while Martin Power would have treated the fans to a great performance.

Concerning the other high profile contest I’ll be part of this weekend, I’ve read with great interest what Nedel Hussein has been saying during the build up for this fight with Scott Harrison but unfortunately for him, on Saturday night the talking has to stop and the fighting has to start.

Scott Harrison was asked by the Scottish press what he thought of Hussein’s comments where Nedel had said that if Scott came into the ring at 10 stone (140lbs) then he would too and that if Scott wants to stand and trade toe for toe then so will Nedel.

Scott responded that Hussein was either crazy or that he needs to see a doctor because if he does what he’s saying he will, he’ll be playing right into Scott’s hands and there’s no way Hussein will get past the first half of this fight. Talk is cheap; it’s what you do in the ring that counts. Scott said that he was making the ninth defense of his WBO title and that he didn’t intend to lose it to an Australian!

It’s a weekend where the little men take center stage and will be trying to make the point to all British boxing fans that the heavyweight division is just a myth. With the little guys, not only do you get power, heart and determination, you also get grace and skill.

I think tonight Martin Power will prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is the best bantamweight in Britain but let’s just hope that Nedel Hussein can back up his words because if he does, we’re certainly going to have some fireworks in Glasgow and unlike Guy Fawkes, who failed to blowup the Houses of Parliament, these two guys with their power could level the Braehead Arena. The fans could witness one of the most explosive nights in British Boxing.

– Frank Maloney
www.frankmaloney.com