Satchell set to defend EBU title in the wake of Shiming defeat

03/18/2015 Ryan Forde-Kelly

Kevin Satchell, 14-0 (3KO’s), will now defend his European Flyweight title against mandatory challenger Thomas Masson, 12-3 (3KO’s), in the wake of a surprise defeat for Chinese boxing poster boy Zou Shiming, 6-1 (1KO), on 7th March.

Rumours were rife – following Satchell’s confident 1st round stoppage of the heavily outclassed Walter Rojas a night earlier – that the Liverpool man was next in line to face the would be superstar following an expected victory over IBF titlist Amnat Ruenroeng, 15-0 (5KO’s).

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Bryant Jennings is ready for the transition

03/15/201503/14/2015 Ryan Forde-Kelly

A remarkable 6-year journey will reach its crescendo when Bryant Jennings, 19-0 (10KO’s), faces the long reigning heavyweight king Wladimir Klitschko, 63-3 (53KO’s), in Madison Square Garden on 25th April.

For it has been in that short space of time, that the 30-year old Philadelphian has managed to travel from first lacing them up to having the opportunity to claim the most prestigious prize in the sport.

Regardless of era, such a remarkable feat is deserving of respect.

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The Heavyweight Champion is back – Klitschko vs Jennings

03/03/201503/03/2015 Ryan Forde-Kelly

Wladimir Klitschko, 63-3 (53KO’s) will end his 86-month exile from boxing biggest stage when he returns to Madison Square Garden for his 25th April showdown with unbeaten American hopeful Bryant Jennings, 19-0 (10KO’s).

For a century it would have been unimaginable to even suggest that the recognised figurehead of boxing, it’s leading man would not contest the sports premier title on U.S. soil for over 7 years.

And yet, it happened and passed much like Dr. Steelhammer’s last visit to the Mecca of boxing – when defeating Sultan Ibragimov over 12 rounds to become unified heavyweight champion – with little resistance.

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Ryan Farrag ready for live opponents

02/24/201502/24/2015 Ryan Forde-Kelly

Hot bantamweight prospect and reigning English champion Ryan Farrag 13-1 (2KO’s) intends to crash the 8st 6lbs division in 2015 with his apprenticeship well and truly served.

Farrag returns to action on 14th March in Widnes with intentions of laying down a marker in the wake of confident weekend wins for future foes, British and European champion Lee Haskins, 31-3 (13KO’s) and WBO European and Commonwealth champion Ross Burkinshaw, 14-5-2 (8KO’s).

For once the British boxing spotlight is firmly fixed between 8st to 9st divisions, due to the World title success of Paul Butler, Stuart Hall, Jamie McDonnell, Scott Quigg and Carl Frampton. Add to this the burgeoning talents of Lee Selby, Josh Warrington, Kal Yafai, James ‘Jazza’ Dickens and Kid Galahad, there has never been a better time for Farrag to showcase his considerable talents.

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Abraham/Smith II: This time Smith knows he can win

02/21/2015 Ryan Forde-Kelly

photo by S. Heger – Paul Smith, 35-4 (20KO’s), travels back across enemy lines tonight when he faces WBO super middleweight champion Arthur Abraham, 41-4 (28KO’s), in Berlin.

It’s been 6 months since the absorbing first bout was marred by some confusing scorecards and in the case of Fernando Laguna’s 119-109 sheet – comical. But, the right decision has been arrived upon and the challenger aims to take full advantage.

“I always thought that this rematch would come. I would be lying if I didn’t think that it might not come off for one reason or another, the only doubt I had really was that he wouldn’t want the fight as he knows that he was in a hard and close fight.

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Martin Murray: Still paying his dues

02/21/2015 Ryan Forde-Kelly

In an era rich in superfluous World title variations the term ‘paying your dues’ just doesn’t carry the same weight as it once did.

Unless of course you’re referring to fighters like Martin Murray, 29-1-1 (12KO’s), who today challenges arguably the most feared man in boxing – Gennady Golovkin, 31-0 (28KO’s) – in Monte Carlo.

It’s Murray’s third World title tilt and his most difficult to date. To say that about a man whose previous attempts came against Felix Sturm in Germany and Sergio Martinez in Argentina illustrates the enormity of the task at hand.

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Prizefighter – The Middleweights III – Ringside Review

02/15/201502/14/2015 Ryan Forde-Kelly

Unbeaten middleweight Tom Doran 14-0 (4KO’s) collected the 34th Prizefighter trophy tonight and more importantly a £34,000 cash injection that at this stage of his career is massive.

The 27-year-old started superbly dropping Craig Cunningham with a powerful straight right hand in his first round of his quarter final, to progress to the semi finals.

Doran proceeded to dispose of pre-tournament favourite with a controlled performance behind a strong jab that saw him win out 29-28 on all judges’ scorecards to set up a meeting with previous Prizefighter finalist Cello Renda.

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Brian Rose catastrophically stopped in one

02/15/201502/14/2015 Ryan Forde-Kelly

Disaster struck for Blackpool’s Brian Rose tonight when Carson Jones, 37-10-3 (27KO’s) dramatically stopped him inside the first round.

Rose, 26-3-1 (8KO’s) was stepping in the ring for only the second time since his unsuccessful WBC World light middleweight title tilt against Demetrius Andrade, when he was stopped in 7. The first of which was an encouraging first round stoppage over Ignacio Lucero Fraga in Leeds in October.

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Satchell targeting World honours

01/07/201702/14/2015 Ryan Forde-Kelly

Reigning British, Commonwealth and European flyweight champion Kevin Satchell has his eyes firmly fixed on World title glory in 2015.

Satchell 13-0 (2KO’s) returns to action on the undercard of Frank Warren’s ‘Mersey Boys’, which includes Paul Butler’s chance to become a two weight World champion when he faces current IBF super flyweight champion Zolani Tete.

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Ovill McKenzie: Substance over style

02/14/2015 Ryan Forde-Kelly

It’s a sad statement of fact that in boxing a controversial public persona – or an image – can propel a fighter to levels and fights where they don’t belong.

Some fighters are carefully piloted to the top of the mountain aboard a Sikorsky helicopter and others are given a pickaxe and a battered old rope at the bottom – enter Ovill McKenzie.

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