Tony Dodson says his British super-middleweight title fight with Paul Smith is “personal”. Dodson, 29, challenges Smith on March 12 at the Liverpool Echo Arena in an all-scouse affair. And in a hard-hitting interview he has revealed that he is desperate to beat the man he used to be close friends with.
Dodson says he has been “disrespectful” and “nasty” in the build up to their fight.
“Paul and I go back a long way,” said former British champion Dodson. “When I first turned professional he used to come to the gym and lace up my gloves..
“He was a lovely young kid and I really liked him.
“When he was on the Contender in the States I texted him all the time and told him how great it was for Liverpool that he was doing well.
“I even helped him before one of his early fights and sparred with him when I hadn’t been in the gym and was weighing about 14 stone.
“But since he moved to super-middleweight our friendship has turned sour and he’s been making nasty remarks which are completely uncalled for.
“I don’t know if it’s because we were always on a collision course once he moved to 12 stone, but unless he changes his attitude we won’t be speaking after the fight either.
“This one has definitely got personal. The way he has spoken about me has been disrespectful. He’s been talking about me like he’s never known me.
“I respect him as a fighter. He’s British champion and that demands respect.
“But I’ll beat him because I’ll be too big, too strong and too damn good.
“He’s come up from a buzzing middleweight division because he thinks he’ll get more opportunities at super-middleweight.
“But he got bullied by Tony Quigley and he’ll get bullied by me.
“I absolutely dominated Tony Quigley until the last 60 seconds of our fight, so I don’t see Paul beating me.
“And I can absolutely guarantee that this fight will be explosive. We’ve sparred before and our styles gelled, so this one is definitely going to be a thriller.”
NIGHT OF THE CHAMPIONS: COX KEEPS HEAT ON BROOK
Hot prospect Jamie Cox says he’s tight on the heels of British welterweight champion Kell Brook.
Cox, who won gold at the 2006 Commonwealth Games, makes his 14th professional appearance on February 13 at Wembley Arena.
And the Swindon hotshot, who has remained unbeaten since turning professional in 2007, says he wants to challenge Brook by the end of the year.
“All I hear about at the moment is how good Brook is,” said the 23-year-old.
“He’s a decent fighter but I’m itching to show exactly what I can do.
“I’ve been chasing Brook ever since he won the British title in 2008, and I’m just hoping that I get the chance to expose him while he’s still got the belt.
“If not then I’ll have to go after him when he’s got to world level, but whatever happens, he’s a man I badly want to face.
“I know just how to beat him and I’m going to keep on asking my promoter Frank Warren for the chance to fight him until he gives it to me.”
Cox has blitzed eight of his 13 victims, and believes that 2010 will see him make significant strides forward.
“I want to be a championship fighter by the end of the year, whether it’s Brook in the opposite corner of someone else,” he said.
“I feel ready to make that step up in class and fight for the English or British title.
“There’s some good lads at welterweight at the moment, and if the fight with Brook doesn’t come off then I’d fancy a crack at anyone else in the division.”
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