Billy Joe Saunders has been given added incentive to look for KO victories – he needs to keep his good looks for a career in modelling! And it’s not just any old modelling, as Saunders has just completed a photoshoot for Vogue Hommes magazine, one of the world’s leading men’s style publications. It follows an earlier assignment for Love Magazine, but Saunders insists that he won’t be swapping the boxing ring for the catwalk any time soon. “It’s a laugh doing the modelling and I’m flattered that people think I’m good looking enough,” said Saunders..
“If someone asks me to do a photo shoot then I’m not going to say no, but boxing will always come first – even if I do look like a knockout!”
Saunders, unbeaten in five professional fights, has his sixth outing on February 13 at Wembley Arena on the huge Night of the Champions show alongside fellow Olympians James DeGale and Frankie Gavin.
And he’s buzzing after a press conference earlier this week in which promoter Frank Warren backed him as a fighter to watch not just this year, but over the next decade.
“To get comments like that from Frank is a real confidence boost,” said Saunders.
“Now it’s up to me to prove him right. I’ve had a good first year as a professional, but I don’t think I’ve boxed to anywhere near my potential yet.
“Hopefully I will stay busy this year and by the end of it I want to be fighting for titles. I’ve definitely got the talent to go all the way, it’s just a question of getting the right fights at the right time.”
Night of the Champions features the exciting heavyweight showdown between British heavyweight champion Danny Williams and Commonwealth champion Sam Sexton; Kevin Mitchell’s WBO Intercontinental Lightweight title defence; Kell Brook’s WBO Intercontinental Welterweight title challenge; Derek Chisora versus Matt Skelton for the Vacant English Heavyweight Championship; The Olympians James DeGale, Frankie Gavin and Billy Joe Saunders; plus hot prospects Vinny Mitchell and Liam, Michael and Ryan Walsh.
Tickets priced at £40, £50, £75, £100 and £150, are available from:
See Tickets
0871 220 0260
www.seetickets.com
LINDSAY RISKS ALL AGAINST ARTHUR
MARTIN LINDSAY will make the first defence of his British featherweight title against in-form Jamie Arthur.
Their 12 rounder takes place at Leigh Indoor Sports Centre on March 19 and will be televised live by the home of boxing Sky Sports.
Belfast’s Lindsay (15-0) won the title last April with a sixth round stoppage of Scot Martin Lindsay in one the best domestic fights of 2009.
And now the 27-yerar-old is determined to make if a Celtic double when he tackles Welshman Jamie Arthur (16-2) in a clash that promises to be an all out war.
Lindsay is already in training camp and added: “Everything is going well except that is about -12 in the gym.
“You are training harder just to stay warm. The weather does have a bit of an effect on your roadwork but there are a few treadmills in the gym so you can still go in and tick away on them.”
Cwmbran’s Arthur is a 2002 Commonwealth Games gold medallist, but retired from boxing in July 2005.
He returned almost three years later and has won seven fights on the bounce.
The 30-year-old earned himself the mandatory position for Lindsay’s Lonsdale belt after outpointing Akaash Bhatia in June.
He said: “The reason I came back was to win the British title and I think my challenge will be a helluva fight.”
The undercard is stacked with talent from Maloney’s and Steve Wood’s impressive VIP stable.
Among those fighting are Olympic bronze medallist David Price, former British super-middleweight champion Tony Quigley, British flyweight king Shinny Bayaar, Paul Edwards, Mark Moran, Karl Place, Rick Goddins and Kieran Farrell.
Tickets for are available for £40 and £80 ringside from 0871 226 1508 or www.frankmaloney.com
Ian ‘Dappa’ Napa Ready For Title Showdown With McDonnell On 22nd January
With the first defense, of his second reign as British Bantamweight Champion, looming large, Hackney’s Ian ‘Dappa’ Napa, instead of relaxing with his family over Christmas and New Year holidays, has been hard at work in the gym training.
‘Dappa’ Napa, who faces Jamie McDonnell on Friday the 22nd January at the Brentwood Centre in Brentwood, Essex, took a little time off from his grueling workout routine, at Rooney’s Boxing Gym in South East London, to talk about his preparations for this highly significant fight. “I’m not taking this fight lightly. I’ve really been working hard in the gym, getting in as much time as I can. Been getting lots of good sparring as well.
The only thing the bad weather has really affected is my running routine. Instead of road work we’ve been going to leisure centres and running on treadmills.”
When asked about his nomination to face Frenchman Jerome Arnould for the European title Napa replied. “Yeah I’d like to get the European title again but right now I’m really focused on the fight with Jamie. It’s a serious fight and I’ve got to do what it takes to win this first. I’ve been studying a DVD of his (Jamie McDonnell). You know, I boxed at the same gym as him and seen him fight a few times before, so I’m pretty confident.”
Napa’s coach, Brian Lawrence, chipped in at this point saying “We’ve got the European, but we’ve got to get past this fight (against McDonnell) first. The purse bid (for the European title fight) takes place just before the fight with McDonnell.”
British boxing fans are in for a treat as the undercard of Napa vs McDonnell is stacked with top class match-ups including Napa’s gym mate Ben Murphy 6(3KOs)-2-1 challenging Lee ‘Cooky’ Cook 12(3)-1(1)-1 for his BBBofC Southern Area Lightweight title and unbeaten Ashley Sexton 8(4)-0 and Usman Ahmed 6-2-1 battling it out for the vacant English Flyweight crown.
That’s not all, by a long shot, as the card also includes; heavy hitting knockout artist Larry ‘The War Machine’ Olubamiwo 6(5)-1 against Scott Belshaw 10(7)-3(2) in a 6 round heavyweight contest. Liam ‘Cannonball’ Cameron 2-0 vs. Geraint Harvey 7(3)-44(7)-0 at Middleweight.
‘Dappa’ Napa’s highly talented stable mate, Super Middleweight, Erick ‘The Eagle’ Ochieng 2-0 is also in action, against Plymouth’s Gavin Brook 1(1)-4(2)-1, at this event.
Southampton’s awkward southpaw Tony Hill 3(1)-0 in a Middleweight contest against Latvian Alex ‘Pit Bull’ Spitko 6(4)-19(8)-0. Peterborough’s undefeated Super Bantamweight Michael Maguire 5(2)-0 takes on another Latvian in Pavels Senkovs 2(2)-11-2.
The highly entertaining Featherweight ‘Kash The Bash’ (Akaash Bhatia) 14(5)-1-0 takes on West Ham’s awkward southpaw Mickey Coveney 9(1)-8(2)-0 and Swanley Welterweight Martin Walsh 3(1)-0 faces debutant Terry Fletcher.
Also on the card are undefeated duo of Heavyweight Tom Dallas 8(6)-0 and Super Middleweight George Groves 7(5)-0 as well as former WBF Super Featherweight Champion Carl Johanneson 27(19)-4(3)-0.
Ian ‘Dappa’ Napa vs. Jamie McDonnell is on Friday 22nd January 2010 at the Brentwood Centre in Brentwood, Essex
Tickets for this top class show, priced £80 and £35 are available on line www.frankmaloney.com or 0871 226 1508