The unpredictable event format of three-round bouts involves Liverpool. Matt Bozeat previews the Boxxer occasion
THE BOXXER Collection deliver super-lightweights to Liverpool on Saturday (November 6) – and it appears to be like extensive open. Sky Sports activities televise from the M&S Financial institution Area. Every contestant should weigh a most of 142lbs. In line with fashionable opinion, the favorite is a 36-year-old who’s been out of the ring for 2 years. Sean “Masher” Dodd has a 2-0 document in opposition to his ‘Boxxer Collection’ rivals. He has factors wins over Lee Appleyard (17-6-1) and Tom Farrell (18-4) on his 17-5-1 document. Sky Sports activities viewers can be aware of Masher after he had an ideal run on the channel a couple of years in the past. Dodd went on to win the Commonwealth light-weight title in 2017, claiming the vacant belt with a factors win over Appleyard. Dodd made a profitable defence in opposition to 2012 Olympian Thomas Stalker earlier than being dethroned by Welsh expertise Tommy Coyle in 2018. Dodd was all the time match and good fighters discovered him laborious to determine throughout that purple patch in his profession.
Now 36 years outdated, Dodd, who all the time introduced big help with him from Birkenhead, had success over three rounds as nicely, successful a Novice title in 2011, however has been out since a technical choice over Farrell, who was minimize from a head conflict, in November, 2019.
Dodd insists he’s emerged from a horrible interval in his life triggered by lockdown, due to chilly remedy.
Ben Fields, the present Midlands champion at 140lbs, has a 2-2 document in opposition to rivals for the £40k prize cash. He’s shared two fights with Kane Gardner (11-1), dropping over six and successful over 4, outpointed Liverpool’s Nathan Bennett (9-2) and was overwhelmed over 10 by Appleyard. The 32-year-old from Birmingham is robust, robust and assured to combat flat-out from the primary bell till the final, however the query is whether or not three rounds will go well with Fields? He’s been preventing over eight and 10 rounds not too long ago and coach Shaun Cogan admitted that he would like the Boxxer Collection to be contested over three five-minute rounds.
He added: “If Ben can get near them and let his palms go, he’s acquired an opportunity. I do know he can throw continuous punches for 9 minutes. However they may be capable to preserve him off them for 3 rounds.”
Cogan says if Ben can get near opponents, he can outwork them, however recognises the shorter distance could go well with the likes of Sheffield’s Levi Kinsiona (8-1) and Cori Gibbs, who have been good amateurs.
Gibbs can be boxing the day after his twenty eighth birthday. As an newbie, he gained Junior ABA and British Junior titles (2009) and NABC titles (2009 and 2012).
He was a part of the Nice Britain Improvement squad and of the eight, Gibbs is the one unbeaten boxer however he’s additionally missing in expertise with spots of inactivity all through his profession.
From the Eastside fitness center in Birmingham, he’s gained all 13 since turning professional in 2014. It’s two years since he boxed, a routine four-round factors win over Jamie Quinn (5-86-2). Gibbs has been within the fitness center ever since. The most effective win on his document is a factors victory over Ahmed Mweva, a Somalian primarily based in Glasgow who’s gained all seven subsequently. Gibbs is slippery, switches and in accordance with coach Paul Counihan, he’s the one fighter in Boxxer Collection who’s on the way in which up.
Kinsiona may need one thing to say about that. He gained back-to-back Improvement titles boxing out of the Metal Metropolis fitness center. He’s now educated by Liam Walsh (not the Norwich boxer) who realized his commerce within the Ingle Health club, and is managed by Dave Allen. The one loss got here to Midlander Nathan Bendon, by way of seventh-round knockout, two years in the past. The safety guard, who can also be juggling a level at Sheffield Hallam Uni, has gained two four-rounders since.
Nathan Bennett is coming off a heavy knockout loss to Dalton Smith final August. Bennett was keen and aggressive, however Smith had the sting in each division. The top got here within the fifth when Smith felled the Liverpudlian with a proper hand.
Smith appears to be like an actual expertise and likewise has a stoppage win over Lee Appleyard on his document, a sixth-round win for the vacant English title in Could. Appleyard confirmed coronary heart earlier than it grew to become too one-sided.
The 33-year-old from Rotherham additionally has a factors loss to Dodd and a 10-round factors win over Fields. He insists, resulting from taking an eight-year break from the game when he was an newbie, he’s contemporary.
Appleyard is an effective measurement for 140lbs – 5ft 11ins – and probably extra heavy handed than 5 stoppages suggests, however has been stopped 3 times.
Tom Farrell is one other thirty-something within the lineup on the lookout for a approach again. He’s coming off a foul loss. The Liverpudlian – an enormous Everton fan – was dropped 3 times and outpointed over six by Lithuania’s Edvinas Puplauskas (6-28) in September. Farrell scored a knockdown within the sixth.
This appears to be like to be thrilling. All eight have an opportunity and with out understanding the draw, we go for Gibbs, the freshest and probably one of the best suited to the three-round distance, to return by way of. Crucially, every bout is definite to be well-matched.
Liverpool southpaw Joe Kavanagh (3-0) was the one substitute who might be confirmed on the time of going to press.
The Verdict The sector for this event appears to be like extensive open.
