DAVID PRICE will tackle German Liridon Memishi when he makes his second professional appearance on Friday (16th Oct). It will be the 6ft 8in Liverpool heavyweight’s first fight under Frank Maloney’s promotional banner and takes place at Sunderland’s Seaburn Centre. The 26-year-old Olympic bronze medallist has had just one professional fight since switching codes – a three round stoppage of Dave Ingleby in March. With his fellow Olympians being kept busy since turning professional, Maloney will make Price one of the most active fighters in Britain..
Provided he comes through the Memishi unscathed he will box again seven days later at Bolton Arena on October 23, where the bill is topped by Jamie Moore’s European light-middleweight title defence against Ryan Rhodes.
Maloney said: “David will be kept very active over the next 12 months while he learns his trade and develops in the gym.
“There is no hurry athough I feel he could pick up British and Commonwealth titles in about two years provided he stays injury free
“His amateur pedigree suggests he could take on good domestic boxers now, but there is a lot more to it like fitness and mental toughness and David knows that.
“World level in five years is a realistic target and he would still be around 30, but we’ll take each fight as it comes. It is about the right fight at the right time.”
Memishi, 19, is based in Aachen and in his only fight to date drew a four rounder against Marcel Gottschalk.
Tickets for both shows featuring David are available from www.frankmaloney.com and 0871 226 1508
RENDALL MUNROE IS BACK
RENDALL MUNROE will make the fifth defence of his European super-bantamweight title against Simone Maludrottu at Nottingham’s Harvey Hadden Sports Centre on Friday November 20.
The banging binman has been handed home advantage after his promoter Frank Maloney won purse bids for the fight against his mandatory challenger.
Maloney will fly off to Jeju, Korea next month for the WBC convention where he hopes to persuade the governing body to make the contest an eliminator for their world title held by Japan’s Toshiaki Nishioka.
The Leicester southpaw (19-1) is currently ranked at number two and Maludrottu 13th by the organisation.
Maludrottu (30-2) is a wily old campaigner who has held the European bantamweight title and challenged for the WBC crown.
The Sardinian won the European 118lb crown in September 2004 and made eight unbeaten defences before relinquishing three years later.
Maludrottu, 31, is familiar to British fans having made seen off challenges from Damaen Kelly and Ian Napa while European champion.
In April 2006 he was considered lucky to get a points verdict over Kelly in Belfast, but when they fought a rematch in Maludrottu’s hometown Olbia seven months later, the Irishman was stopped in three rounds.
Napa was next up in March 2007, but was no match for the accomplished champion going down clearly on points.
In January 2008 Maludrottu was handed his world title chance, but like so many before him found winning in Japan a bridge too far, losing on points to brilliant Hozumi Hasegawa.
Since then he has four three non-title fights and promises to be Munroe’s toughest challenger to date.
Munroe, 29, won his Euro crown in March 2008 when he defeated Kiko Martinez, but hasn’t boxed since February when he outpointed Issac Nettey to claim the Commonwealth title.
The undercard will be announced soon, but tickets prices £35 and £85 can be purchased from 0871 226 1508 and www.frankmaloney.com
You Don’t Have To Be A Star! Leigh Amateur Boxing Club visits CNP Professional for advice from Kerry Kaye
Kerry Kayes, founder of CNP Professional, a leading sports nutrition company, is often dubbed the boxer’s secret weapon and has helped many top boxers, including Ricky Hatton, Matthew Hatton, Matthew Macklin, John Murray and the ‘Smith brothers from Liverpool’ as well as David Price, Tony Jefferies and Joe Murray from the 2008 Olympic boxing team.
But Kerry also helps amateur boxing clubs through sponsorship, advice and encouragement. Recently Kerry invited head coach Adrian Fleming and boxers Jonny Brown 16, Michael Connor 13 and Tom Jones 16 of Leigh Amateur Boxing Club to visit his gym, Betta Bodies in Manchester, and find out a little more about training to be a top class boxer.
“I like to spend time with the youngsters,” says Kerry. “It’s easy to get caught up in the professional world and lose sight of the fact that everyone has to start somewhere. These three are very talented boxers and it’s so important that they start looking after their bodies right from the beginning in what is a very competitive and hard sport. If I can help them feel a bit special and get ahead then that’s what it’s all about.”
“The lads were thrilled,” said Adrian Fleming. “Kerry had raced back from advising UFC superstar Michael Bisping just to talk to my lads! He had never met my three young boxers before and for him to take the time to talk to them really meant a lot.
“When we got to the gym, boxer Jamie Moore was doing his weight training. That was a real bonus. He showed the lads his special schedule (devised by Kerry) and gave them some tips. They were amazed at how much he lifted.”
After the gym visit Kerry took Adrian and the three lads back to the boardroom at CNP to explain to them how important it was to get nutrition right from the start. “The individual specialist advice they got was invaluable, especially from someone like Kerry who has advised the best,” said Adrian.
“I just couldn’t get over how much time he was prepared to give us,” he continues. “We must have been there for about three hours.”
As a parting shot Kerry really astonished the young boxers when he showed them there were 1455kcals, 60gm fat and 92gm of sugar in a typical fast-food meal of large burger, large fries and large shake.
“I don’t think we’ll be stopping for a snack on the way home,” said Adrian.
CNP Professional is one of the UK’s leading sports nutrition specialist companies. For more information visit www.cnpprofessional.co.uk, or call +44 (0) 161 320 1212 for sports nutrition advice and +44 (0) 161 320 8145 for sales.