Steve Spartacus: Tony Oakey is made for me

Steve Spartacus claims Tony Oakey is “made for him’ and expects their clash of styles to make for a thrilling fight in Friday’s showdown for the vacant British Light-Heavyweight Title, being shown live by Sky Sports.

Spartacus and Oakey will swap blows in the top of the bill feature on the Hennessy Sports “SENI:BOX’ promotion in the “TOE 2 TOE’ Arena at ExCeL London in Docklands, the launch event for a three day Combat Sports Show.

Seni07 has been brought to the Capital for the first time by organisers Fighters Inc. Fittingly “SENI:BOX’ will feature a raft of local fighters to kick things off in style, including Lenny Daws, Peter Haymer, George Hillyard, Matthew Thirlwall, David Walker, Dave Stewart and Mickey Steeds.

Oakey, the former Commonwealth title holder, was let down last month when Peter Oboh pulled out less than an hour before he was supposed to get in the ring and defend the British Title against him.

Oboh was stripped of the belt and now Oakey faces Ipswich’s former English champion Spartacus, who style himself as a gladiator.

Spartacus has promised to make up for his previous career disappointments with his best ever display in what he expects will be an entertaining encounter.

“I am the sort of fighter who needs to be 100 per cent fit, and a couple times I have taken fights at short notice and paid for it,” said Spartacus.

“But this time I’m full prepared and can’t wait for this fight and Tony’s style is made for me. I have followed his career for years and am a big fan.

“I was a couple of years behind him in the amateurs and always wanted to fight him because we are both short, squat and aggressive fighters, so it should make for a cracking fight.

“If I could pick anyone to fight it would be him, and the fact that it is also for the British title just makes this fight perfect for me.

“He will be in top shape because he was training for Oboh anyway, but so am I. I was training to face Peter Haymer for the English Title and I’m 100 per cent fit. I’ve been training at Ipswich football club alongside the players.

“Tony Oakey is a big name and if I can beat him bigger fights will follow. The winner of this could face Brian Magee. The British light-heavyweight scene needs livening up and this is the first British title-fight in years because Peter Oboh was inactive.”

Oakey wants to beat Spartacus to get his career back on the big stage and is eager to set up a fight against Belfast’s Brian Magee after this.

“I’m going to win this fight with Steve and then I can look forward to fighting Brian Magee or Peter Haymer, who I would love to fight again and put right that controversial loss to him,” said Oakey.

“There are some big fights out there at light-heavyweight now that the British title has become vacant. Every British light-heavyweight should be thanking me because Oboh refusing to fight me has really opened things up.

Also on the bill will Londoner Peter Haymer, who has beaten both Oakey and Spartacus, and former British lightweight champion Lenny Daws.

Hennessy Sports boxer Daws intends to get back to winning ways on the bill after losing his crown to Barry Morrison on points in January before returning to title contention.

“I want to prove to everyone that I am still at the top of my game and ready to fight for the British title again,” said Daws. “This will be the start of the process of winning my title back.

“Against Morrison I started off slowly and by the time I got going it was too late. It won’t happen again and I would love the rematch. Now I have the chance to do that on the launch night of what looks like being a big weekend for London boxing.”

Other Hennessy Sports boxers who are on the bill include Dave Stewart, Matthew Thirlwall and David Walker, who will be making his comeback at welterweight after more than a year out of the ring.

East London boxers George Hillyard and Mickey Steeds, who will be making his debut at cruiserweight, will also be in action along with Commonwealth cruiserweight champion Troy Ross.