Boxing Preview: Eamonn Magee – Takaloo

As fans of Danny Williams and Amir Khan will already know, tonight in the UK it’s another ITV fight night! Sports Network puts on a good show at King’s Hall in Belfast, where unfortunately the crowd will be without previous headliner Scott Harrison. However, they will have Williams and Kahn, as well as sweet counter punching Irish southpaw Eamonn Magee who meets former WBU Light Middleweight titlist Takaloo for that organization’s welterweight title.

Although Magee is an ex-Commonwealth Light Welter Champion and European title challenger, the Belfast man is best known for his knockdown of Ricky Hatton four years ago. Magee reeled off a second round flurry of punches that had the Manchester man more out on his feet than Luis Collazo managed last Saturday in Boston. Despite the promising start, Magee went on to lose a close and hard fought unanimous decision to Hatton.

Since that fight, “The Terminator” has fought just four times in four years, winning three of those bouts. His opponents have been fairly limited compared to the world champion Hatton, with the exception of Oktay Urkal, to whom Magee lost a decision in 2003. Magee has amassed 17 knockouts from his 26 wins and has never been knocked out himself, something that could play a major part in his next fight against Mehrdud Takaloo.

Takaloo has a similar KO record as Magee (17 in 24 wins) and has stopped such good fighters as then undefeated contender Anthony Farnell, Gary Logan, Jim Rock and Scott Dixon. However, he has been stopped himself on two occasions.

The Irishman is no doubt the favourite for the fight, however Takaloo has knocked out nine of his opponents within the first three rounds and this fight could certainly produce fireworks.

While there is no doubt that Magee has the class to reach the next level, if he fails to show the desire to really train for this fight, it could turn very nasty for the Irishman.

Hopefully the bill tonight at the King’s Hall will live up to it’s potential, and starting at 10.30pm rather than 2am, it should show what boxing is all about.