BRITISH featherweight champion Martin Lindsay has signed a promotional deal with Frank Maloney. The Belfast star (16-0) showed his star qualities on Friday when he outpointed Jamie Arthur in the first defence of his British crown. Maloney predicts the all-action 27-year-old will become Irish boxing’s next superstar and fill the gap left by Bernard Dunne’s retirement. He said: “Lindsay’s performance against Arthur is what TV and fans love to see. “He marched forward constantly, wasn’t afraid to take a backward step and threw hurtful punches for 12 rounds..”
Maloney is already making plans for Lindsay to make the next defence of his title in Belfast, and hopes to move him towards a world title fight inside 18 months.
“Maloney added: “The aim is to keep Martin busy and I want to make sure his next fight is in Belfast.
“Martin is very popular there and there will be plenty of big occasions in his home city for him as he steps up to world level.
“There is no hurry, even though he us the mandatory contender for the European title. His next fight will be a British title fight.
“There are plenty if decent challengers out there like Akaash Bhatia, but I will talk to Martin’s team before approaching anyone.”
Olusegan vs Lynes on April 3
Commonwealth light-welterweight champion Ajose Olusegan will defend his title against former European titleholder Colin Lynes in Manchester on Saturday, April 3rd. The scheduled 12-round contest will act as one of the chief-support attractions to David Haye’s WBA world heavyweight title showdown against John Ruiz, televised live and exclusively on Sky Box Office.
Olusegan and Lynes agreed to meet at the Manchester Evening News Arena, following an injury withdrawal by Scotland’s Lee McAllister. ‘The Aberdeen Assassin’s proposed Commonwealth lightweight title bout with Ben Murphy has since been cancelled.
Light-welterweight champion Olusegan remains one of the most dangerous and avoided campaigners in the British Isles. Originally born in Lagos, Nigeria, Olusegan has competed professionally in Britain since May 2001 and now holds British citizenship. He is unbeaten in 27 professional contests and has ended 13 of his bouts via stoppage.
The Kentish Town southpaw claims career wins over Nigel Wright, Bradley Pryce and Ali Nuumbembe and, at 30 years of age, is determined to gatecrash the world stage. As well as picking up a Commonwealth title at light-welterweight, Olusegan also used his British citizenship to good effect last June, winning the vacant British title against Wright.
Olusegan has since relinquished his Lonsdale title and appears in Manchester as the reigning Commonwealth king and someone destined to go even further. Ranked at number two by the World Boxing Council (WBC), Olusegan’s long-awaited shot at world honours could arrive in 2010.
Standing in his way on April 3rd will be Hornchurch’s experienced and stylish light-welterweight Lynes. The 32-year-old has competed professionally since June 1998 and won both European and British honours as a 140-pound fighter.
Lynes, 33-7 (12 KO), is renowned for his pinpoint jab, great footwork and eye-catching skills. He has defeated top domestic performers like Young Mutley, Barry Morrison and David Barnes (Prizefighter series), and also snared the IBO light-welterweight title from Pablo Sarmiento in 2004. The talented Englishman has met the best his country has had to offer in the light-welterweight division for the past decade. He now looks to rejuvenate his career with victory over Olusegan on April 3rd.
The 12-round clash between Olusegan and Lynes will not be the only Commonwealth title affair on show in Manchester. Hammersmith’s George Groves will also challenge for the super-middleweight version of the belt against Ghanaian warrior Charles Adamu.
Arthur vs Lindsay on Friday
JAMIE ARTHUR would not have had the chance become British champion, but for being bullied because he was ginger and spoke with a Scottish accent as kid. The Cwmbran ring ace fulfils a lifelong dream when he challenges for Martin Lindsay’s (15-0) British featherweight title at Leigh Indoor Sports Village on Friday night (19/3) Arthur (16-2) who won a 2002 Commonwealth Games gold medal quit boxing in July 2005 after consecutive losses, but after almost three years returned and is on a seven fight winning streak. He said: “I moved from Scotland to Wales when I was four-years-old, but being Scottish and ginger made me a target for bullies. I was picked on daily by a group of boys who lived down the road.
“When I was nine I decided to do something about it and found a boxing gym. For the first month I didn’t tell my parents I was there.”
He was soon being recognised as one of most talented young sportsmen in Wales. Arthur won several national boxing titles and played football for Wales at schoolboy level.
Arthur, 30, added: “I had to make a choice between boxing and football. I went with my heart. Boxing is what I excelled at and I believe I made the right choice.
“Winning gold for Wales at the Commonwealth Games was by far one of my best moments so far, but beating Lindsay would even top that.
“I have been boxing for more than 20 years, but winning a major professional title against Lindsay is something so special.”
Belfast’s Lindsay, 27, will be making his first defence of the title he won against Scot Paul Appleby last year.
Other stars on the bill include Olympic bronze medallist David Price, British flyweight champion Shinny Bayaar, ex-British bantamweight champion Gary Davies, Paul Edwards, Dave Ferguson, Karl Place, Rick Goddins and unbeaten lightweight John Watson,
Tickets for are available for £35 and £80 ringside from 0871 226 1508 or www.frankmaloney.com