Oshunrinde And Smyle Go Face To Face Ahead Of 31st July Showdown

Earlier today Dollis Hill, London, based American Super Middleweight Emmanuel ‘Manny’ Oshunrinde and Leicester’s Jahmaine Smyle came face to face for the first time ahead of their highly anticipated rematch, which headlines the Graham Earl promoted ‘Renaissance’ event at Liquid Nightclub, Gordon Street, Luton, on Sunday July 31st 2011.

The big punching duo’s first encounter, at York Hall in January, lasted a mere seventy one seconds before referee Kieran McCann stopped the bout due to a bad cut above Smyle’s right eye, declaring the bout a technical draw and stating the cut was due to accidental clash of heads.

Oshunrinde and his coach, TRAD TKO Boxing Gym’s Barry Smith, were outraged, claiming there never was a clash of heads and the cut was caused by  Oshunrinde’s solid jabs and big hooks and should have been declared as a TKO in their favour.

Speaking at Graham Earl’s House of Champions Gym in Luton Oshunrinde said, “It feels like redemption don’t it, yeah. It’s less than two weeks away, you can call it redemption but really I’m setting the record straight on a bad refereeing decision in January.

I’m feeling pretty good, I’m ready to rock and roll. When I beat him the first time I wasn’t in tip top shape, but now I feel like I am peaking really, really well.

Training’s going really, really good. Everything is right and coming into play, and I feel good.

I’ve been getting great sparring, been sparring great guys like Cruiserweight Mitchell Balker and this really good young kid that’s just turning over, he’s making his pro debut, Frankie Buglioni. He’s very good, he’s had an illustrious amateur career. He’s surprised me because he’s actually give me good sparring.

For this fight I’ve been sparring six and eight rounds to make sure I have the fitness. You always see me training , I always put a hundred and ten percent in because I’m trying to improve.
It didn’t go four rounds last time, I’m not going to make any predictions, other than a win. I don’t want to seem to cocky so I’m just going to predict the win and just box like I do in training.”

Jahmaine Smyle just sat smiling as Oshunrinde spoke, when he’d finished Smyle responded by saying, “I can’t wait to get in there. I’ve trained hard, I’ve been training for this for six weeks like.

I’m really looking forward to this, I can’t wait to get back in there. I’ve had good sparring, it’s all good, I’m ready.

The last one I only got caught by three shots before I got cut and they stopped it, under that new rule. It wasn’t a punch that did the cut, he caught me with the side of the gloves.

I’ve had some tough fights, that wasn’t one of them. I got through to the semis of Prizefighter, I think I had a tough draw, my last fight was a close fight, I thought I won it but that’s the way it goes sometimes.

All I know is I’m going to win, one hundred and ten percent. I’m not saying I’m going for a knockout, if it comes it comes, you know what I mean, I’m going to box him, I’m going to work him. I’m going to beat him.”

Graham Earl has put together an exciting undercard, to support Manny Oshunrinde versus Jahmaine Smyle II, featuring Graham Earl Promotions big banging stars Terry Holmes and Joe Hillerby as well as debuts for local lads James Smith, Danny Mulhern and  and Tom Little.

Tickets, priced £30, for the Graham Earl Promoted ‘Renaissance’ event at Liquid Nightclub, Gordon Street, Luton on Sunday July 31st 2011 are available on-line at www.tkoboxoffice.com or in person at Graham Earl’s House of Champions Gym, Unit 11 Hitchin Road Industrial Estate, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU2 0DZ

The Other Stars of the Show

Rocky Fielding continued his winning ways in his hometown last night with another valuable 6 rounds under his belt. A points win over tough guy Jamie Ambler moves Rocky’s Professional record to 7-0. The Light Heavyweight Prizefighter champion we and truly put his name amongst the Liverpool elite last night and long may it continue. Following in the foot steps of fellow Liverpudlian and stable mate Tony Bellew Rocky has his sights on conquering the Light Heavyweight division.

You may be cynical and say he’s along way off European or world glory yet but at only 23 years old Rocky has the credentials be make a big name for him and I would not doubt domestic honours beckon.

Callum Johnson did not disappoint in his first bout under new trainer Joe Gallagher going the scheduled 4 rounds with Lee Duncan and coming away with the W. Still very much a toddler in the professional ranks but with a Good professional outlook Callum Johnson is a name you will be hearing plenty in the near future.

Much to his credit and commitment to the cause Callum is said to be heading straight back into the Denton Gym tomorrow and plans to be back in the ring come September, “watch this space”
　
Another successful Liverpool prospect found there’s not a great deal to this winning lark is Middleweight Joe Selkirk. 7-0 Selkirk made light work of Birmingham’s Terry Carruthers claiming a first round TKO win.

Selkirk barely gave us time to admire his skills but what we did see was a deadly left hand and a right hand that seemed more than capable of playing the support act. Another young hopeful from Liverpool at only 25 years old and yet another fighter from Liverpool to keep an eye on. I fear I may have to leave my North East surroundings and move to Liverpool just to keep up with the talent that is emerging from the fine sporting city.

Tragic end for Cook

Hopes of regaining his WBO Super Featherweight title for Nicky Cook were dashed before any real punch was thrown last nigh in Liverpool. What looked like a back spasm seen Nicky Hit the canvas three times in 90 seconds in his bid to regaining his former strap.

From the first body punch from Burns it was clear to see something was seriously wrong with Cook, instead of that everlasting smile you would associate with the man from Dagenham there were grimaces of excruciating pain. Nicky Cook much to his credit continued and I was begging for the referee to stop the fight there and then as cook was trying to fight one handed protecting his injured back.

Unable to throw a punch himself cooks efforts were futile but should be applauded not booed. The towel was thrown in not a moment too soon and Cook was carefully ushered back to his corner by a doctor before a stretcher played taxi and Cook was immediately taken to hospital.

Early indications were a ruptured disc near the spinal column and it has been said Nicky will have x-rays today to find out the extent of the damage.

A tragic way to leave a fight and I’m sure I speak for every boxing fan when I say we wish Nicky Cook a speedy recovery and hope this will not be the last time we see him in a boxing ring although it is looking entirely possible.

Ricky Burns being the Scottish gentleman that he is showed great respect to Cook, applauding as he was taken away and sending his regards post fight.

This is a great shame for boxing as a whole, Nicky Cook was hoping to relight his career whilst Ricky Burns was trying to prove to the British public what a worthy champion he is.

The celebrations put on ice but I’m sure it won’t be long until Burns is Back in England to show us all just what a special talent he truly is.

Once again we’d like to send our best wishes for a speedy recovery to Nick Cook and to all his family.

A Boxing Lesson From Tony Bellew

Many may say the bombs were duds in the opening affair of Frank Warren’s Master card in Liverpool last but sheer boxing skill was in abundance in the opening bout of the final domestic show of the season.

Possibly the most eagerly awaited fight of the night was the rematch between ‘Bomber’ Tony Bellew and home run hitter Ovill McKnezie in which the first fight give us plenty to write home about with knock downs like they were going out of fasion and everyone loves a stoppage win.

Like many rematches this one to most pundits did not live up to the hype and some of the Liverpool faithful had their patience tested in the middle rounds but surely I am not the only one that seen some pure boxing skills on show where a very capable and dangerous fighter in McKenzie was made to look seriously average by a trunk full of talent in Tony Bellew.

In the first fight both fighters felt their opponents best shots and had brief encounters with the canvas so surely the tactics were going to be different in the second coming, and different they were. Mckenzie had shorts bursts in the first round that reminded us why we simply could not live without this fight happening again but Bellew’s defence was more than up for the task of fending off any attack from McKenzie.

Other than in maybe three rounds McKenzie did not produce a great deal and Bellew boxed clever and notched up the rounds without much trouble at all. Bellew showed good foot movement and controlled the fight with his left hand from all angles; great head movement From the Bomber frustrated Mckenzie. A reserved Ovill Mckenzie for a great deal of the fight simply could not throw his own bombs with Bellew’s right hand a constant threat, Bellew kept fainting the right hand just to let McKenzie know it was still there and boy did McKnezie know it.

The corner of McKenzie began to run out of ideas by the 8^th round and rather than give advice the simply said “right you’re getting boring now” just the words of encouragement a boxer needs when you’re already way behind in a fight. In Bellew’s corner however the plan was simple “give him a boxing lesson” and the Bomber obliged.

Not the great spectacle we were all hoping for and with Nathan Cleverley at ringside Jim Watt certainly wanted more from Bellew and felt he was not doing his claims for a world title any good and to that I say how?

Boxing a perfect fight? Working the perfect game plan? Having your opponent afraid to throw a telling punch? Fair enough it may have been unpleasing to the untrained eye but there was plenty on show to interest Nathan Cleverley and Frank Warren knows Tony Bellew sells tickets.

Everyone has seen Tony throw his bombs and knock opponents out but last night his showed his great defensive skills as well as offensive skills and not only does he posses power he’s not easy to hit.

Bellew v Cleverley makes perfect sense to me and another domestic world title fight will do wonders for British Boxing. In hindsight a massive congratulations to our new Light Heavyweight British champion Tony Bellew, now he has two titles to polish but I am sure he will not mind one little bit.