Boxing Preview: Kevin McIntyre vs Kevin Anderson

A sell out crowd of around 2000 are expected to turn out to see Kevin McIntyre and Kevin Anderson, the two best welterweights in Scotland, get reacquainted at Glasgowʼs Kelvin Hall this evening. As with their previous clash, the British title is on the line and Sky Sports will televise.

Last November, the pair met at the Magnum Centre in Irvine and 29 year old McIntyre, 25-5 (8), walked away with Andersonʼs prized Lonsdale belt, in what was possibly the biggest domestic upset of 2007.

Most fans and pundits before their first meeting expected to see a routine nightʼs work for Buckhavenʼs hard punching Kevin Anderson but McIntyre hadnʼt read the script and fought the fight of his career to rip the title way from a man who, had he won, would have had the historic belt for keeps.

McIntyre, a postman by day, had success from the off that night as a thudding right hook dumped Anderson on the canvas in the opening stanza. In the second round, McIntyre found the target again as another right hand forced Anderson down.

Anderson did weather the storm and land some decent shots of his own later in the fight but, on the most part, McIntyre dominated and was duly rewarded with a decision. The three judges scoring the fight 118-107, 119-108 and 118-110.

Southpaw McIntyre, attributes his performance to the help given to him by sports psychologist Dr. Alan Curley before the match up. Apparently, he was hypnotised and instilled with a winner’s mentality. Cynics, however, would say that McIntyre just fought well because Anderson was feeling the effects of having four tough fights in 12 months and was far from fighting fit.

24 year old Anderson has had a good training camp this time and says he is ready to reek revenge. “I am in the best shape of my career and I will need to be because things have become really serious,” he told the media this week. “The hunger that has been missing for a while is back and I have been very focused right through training.

“I have recovered fully from losing to Kevin and I am determined to take back the title. My head feels different. Last time people saw a bad, bad Kevin Anderson and I will never fight so poorly again. Kevin McIntyre boxed well but he is going to have to do a lot better this time to compete with me. This is a hugely important fight for me.”

Last Novemberʼs setback was not the first time Anderson had tasted defeat. Just over a year ago he lost to tough Namibian Ali Nuumbembe. Anderson did land the harder punches that night in Kirkcaldy but the African, then based in Glossop, was busier and eeked out a very close split decision.

Before that setback, Anderson had been on fire, scoring 18 straight wins with no losses. His real breakout win was in September 2005 when he annexed the 147 Ib Commonwealth title from Joshua Okine. What made the win so impressive was the fact that, three months earlier, the Ghanaian had handed Manchesterʼs classy David Barnes his first, and so far only, defeat.

Two fights later, Anderson travelled to Birmingham to take on British welter king Young Mutley. It was a fight in which Anderson proved his huge heart. Floored, badly cut and seriously behind on all the scorecards, the young Scot stormed back into the fight in the tenth round stopped the man who sounds like he should be Dick Dastardlyʼs dog, with a quick left-right-left combo.

Kevin McIntyreʼs career had followed a completely different path to that of his fellow Scotsman. While Anderson was earning rave reviews and winning titles, the Paisley southpaw was doing his postal work and considering his future in the sport. After being blown away in one round by Nigel Wright and losing in six to Stoke based journeyman Gary Reid, McIntyre was written off by all but a very few boxing writers and it seemed his career had come to the end of the line.

After a year out of the ring, McIntyre, who had been struggling to boil down to light-welterweight, returned to action at his better weight of 147 Ib and chalked a six round win over the limited David Wakefield before a chance to face the undefeated Tony Doherty, on the undercard of Maccarinelli vs. Braithwaite, presented itself. In a dull ten round affair, McIntyre prevailed, referee Mickey Vann scoring the contest 97-95.

Then came an unlikely shot at the British title and the rest, as they say, is history.

Verdict: Thereʼs absolutely no reason why McIntyre can’t box smartly and give Anderson problems again but, if Iʼm truthful, I tend to agree with those that say that Anderson took their last meeting too lightly and was flat due to exhaustion. I see a much more focused and hungrier Anderson coming into tonightʼs fight and believe he will regain the title inside ten rounds.