There’s plenty in store on the Steve Bunce Boxing Hour this Thursday at 2pm on Setanta Sports News. Michael Jennings will be in the studio looking ahead to Miguel Angel Cotto’s WBO welterweight title defence against Joshua Clottey, which is live on Setanta Sports 2 at 2am this Sunday. Jennings knows all about Cotto having suffered a fifth round defeat against the hard hitting Puerto Rican in February..
And Olympic gold medallist James DeGale will be back in the studio ahead of his third professional fight. DeGale is in action against former Irish light-middleweight champion Ciaran Healy on the undercard of Amir Khan’s title bout against Andrea Kotelnik in just over two weeks time.
Plus we’ll be live from the Clive Barracks in Market Drayton as the 1st Royal Irish Regiment prepare for their annual boxing finals.
Glover out to tarnish “Golden Boy” Siddique
Essex crowd-pleaser Tom Glover will be out for revenge in Wigan this weekend as he looks to reverse a defeat to Nadeem “Golden Boy” Siddique in a battle of champions on the undercard of Hennessy Sports “Rule Britannia” event.
Glover, the reigning Southern Area Welterweight Champ clashes with current Central Area Lightweight title holder Siddique at the Robin Park Arena in Wigan this Saturday (June 13th) with John Murray’s second defence of his British Lightweight title against Stoke’s Scott Lawton topping the bill.
The event is live on ITV4 from 8pm on Saturday with unbeaten heavyweight sensation Tyson Fury also on the card. Glover suffered a points defeat at the hands of Siddique when they last met in 2007 and while he’s confident of reversing that result this time around he has plenty of respect for his old foe.
“He’s a very sharp boxer, he’s got quick hands and he’s a good clean puncher so I have a lot of respect for him,” said Glover. He’s definitely one of the best I’ve fought but the difference this time is that it’s going to be over 10 rounds rather than 6 and I think that will suit me a lot more than it will suit him.”
Last time out Siddique suffered the lone defeat on his 23 fight record with a seventh round stoppage loss to Martin Gethin for the English title and Glover believes it highlighted some chinks in the Siddique armour.
“I watched that fight and I think his tank ran dry in that one. He was winning hands down for the first four rounds but then Gethin started to come on strong and by the finish Siddique had nothing left. I think our fight will go the same way, he’ll definitely be dangerous early on but I’ll be looking to take control of things around the halfway point and I think I’ll be too strong for him as the fight goes on.”
Naturally Siddique would beg to differ and he has already said that he’s not concerned at the prospect of meeting Glover again but the 27-year-old Maldon native believes he’s in for a surprise.
“The first time I fought him I was really only warming into the pro game,” said Glover. “I think I’d only had 8 fights while he was already unbeaten in 19 and making a name for himself so there was a big gap in experience. It was my first time on a big World title show as well (with Junior Witter successfully defending his WBC Light Welterweight title against Vivian Harris) so that all added to the pressure.
“I think the tables have turned now though because he’s been out for nearly a year since getting beat and in that time I’ve had 3 fights and got plenty of rounds and experience under my belt so I think the difference will show on Saturday night.”
Glover is coming off the back of two real war’s, a toe to toe small hall classic with Scott Woolford to claim the Southern Area title and a back and forth affair with Chas Symonds in March and he believes it could be a hat trick this weekend.
“I’m probably not the most technical boxer in the world but I can guarantee anyone that I get in there with will know they’ve been in a real fight. I’m in the best form of my career right now so I’m coming into this fight really confident. I’m sure he will be as well having beaten me before so I think sparks could fly in this one.”
Glover and Siddique face off in a Battle of Champions on the undercard of the Hennessy Sports “Rule Britannia” event at the Robin Park Arena, Wigan on Saturday, June 13th. The main event sees John Murray looking to retain his British Lightweight title against reigning English Champ Scott Lawton.
Heavyweight sensation Tyson Fury will have his seventh professional outing on the card with his cousin Phill Fury also featuring alongside hot featherweight prospect Steve Barnes and the pro debuts of Bobby “Boogaloo” Ward, the last Englishman to defeat Amir Khan and Sheffield heavyweight, Richard Towers. Exciting puncher Andrew Singh Kooner completes the line-up.
Tickets are available from the Ticketline box office on 0844 888 4402 or via www.ticketline.co.uk
PROMOTER Frank Maloney is offering fans who buy tickets for his shows from the FTM website heavyweight discounts
Maloney launches the new scheme with his action packed show which will be staged at York Hall, Bethnal Green on Tuesday June 30.
The Sky Sports televised card is headed by Nottingham’s Jason Booth (32-5) who risks his British super-bantamweight title against Thetford’s Rocky Dean (14-10).
Fans buying an exclusive £80 ringside ticket from www.frankmaloney.com qualify for a £3.00 discount, meaning each ticket costs £77.00
There is a massive incentive to buy £40 tickets from the website with a knockout £5 reduction in price, with each ticket £35.
Maloney said: “People are feeling the pinch all over and I want to keep prices as low as possible.
“The £35 ticket represents exceptional value. IT is cheaper than a ticket for a Premier League ticket and you get four hours of non-stop action.”
Also on the bill at the spiritual home of British boxing is a British featherweight title eliminator between Harrow’s Sikh slugger Akaash Bhatia (14-0) and Welshman Jamie Arthur (14-2).
In a special attraction on the Ireland’s Olympic bronze medallist Darren Sutherland (3-0) make his London debut in a six round super-middleweight bout.
Log on to www.frankmaloney.com to get your discount. It is the only outlet selling tickets for the show where you can save money