Classy Booth knocks the fight out of Hunter

By John Hannen at ringside

Jason Booth looked tremendous on Friday night forcing Michael Hunter to retire on his stool, and surely from the fight game altogether, as he retained his British super bantamweight title at the Seaburn Centre in Sunderland. A mixture of Booth being just ’2 smooth’, and Hunter seeming a shadow of the fighter he once was, combined to see the fight waved off between rounds five and six as the man from Hartlepool told his corner ‘no mas’.

Glover and Amar contest English title on Froch-Dirrell undercard

By Ben Carey
Essex battler Tom Glover will be out to dethrone another Nottingham champion in the form of English welterweight title holder, Adnan Amar, on the undercard of local hero Carl Froch’s Super Six WBC super-middleweight scrap with Andre Dirrell at the Trent Arena tonight.

While the eyes of the boxing World will be on Froch’s showdown with Dirrell for Glover and Amar it will also be a huge night in their respective careers. Reigning title holder Amar will be looking to put a frustrating year and a half of inactivity behind him while Glover will be looking to bounce back from his Commonwealth title defeat to John O’Donnell last month.

Injury to Fury places McDermott rematch on hold

By Ben Carey

Fans clamouring to see the eagerly anticipated English heavyweight title rematch between Tyson Fury and John McDermott will have to wait a little longer. An injury to Fury, sustained to his right hand during his points win over Tomas Mrazek in Dublin three weeks ago, has resulted in the British Boxing Board of Control to put back the opening of purse bids until its next meeting on Wednesday 11th November. The rematch, which was originally stipulated to take place before the end of December, has now been extended until the end of February next year.

The unbeaten Fury was awarded a highly controversial 98-92 points victory by referee Terry O’Connor over McDermott to capture the English title in Brentwood last month. Somewhat ironically, even the Board (incorrectly) list the unfortunate McDermott as the reigning English champion in its latest Championship circular. To read the rest of the latest English title news click the link.

Fortunate Williams given British title reprieve

By Ben Carey

In a surprising outcome, The British Boxing Board of Control has allowed Danny Williams to keep his British heavyweight title despite Williams losing in the quarter-final of the recent Prizefighter: The Heavyweights III competition against outsider Carl Baker a fortnight ago. Williams, who was floored twice by Baker in the opening round before conceding a three-round points decision, was expected to be stripped of his British crown and retire following his disappointing loss. The Board of Control has given Williams a reprieve however but have insisted that the Brixton man must defend his British title against the winner of Sam Sexton and Martin Rogan who will contest the Commonwealth crown in a rematch in Belfast on November 6.

The Board’s decision now opens the door for current British title holders to take part in future Prizefighter events and potentially keep their Lonsdale belts even if they fail to win the tournament. To read the rest of the latest British title news, click the link.

Dirrell battles the scales and Froch in Nottingham tonight

By Ben Carey
Andre Dirrell needed two attempts to make the weight ahead of his Super Six super-middleweight tournament showdown with Carl Froch at Nottingham’s Trent FM Arena tonight. The American, who will challenge Froch for his WBC super-middleweight title, initially tipped the scales fractionally over the super-middleweight title limit at 168.4 lbs at the first time of asking at the weigh-in yesterday afternoon.

Dirrell quickly returned to the gym at his hotel to lose the excess poundage. He returned one hour later to finally make the weight on the second attempt registering 167.5 pounds on the scales. In contrast, consummate professional Froch comfortably made the weight at the first time of asking, registering 167.4 lbs.