Masternak: Bellew’s trash talk won’t work on me
Mateusz Masternak aims to prove he is ready to rule the world by beating Tony Bellew and reclaiming the European Cruiserweight title on Saturday’s big card at the O2 in London.
The Polish puncher is currently enjoying a new lease of life since teaming up with renowned German coach Ulli Wegner, as evident from his WBA Intercontinental title winning performance against Carlos Nascimento in September, and now, the 28 year old believes the time is right for him to make his mark at elite-level starting with a statement win against Bellew.
“Of course this is an important fight for me,” said Masternak. “This is a chance for me to test myself against one of the best fighters in the division and prove to everybody that I’m ready to fight for the World title.
“Bellew is a World-class opponent and I know it will be a tough test. He can punch, he can box and he always fights with a lot of heart, but his style suits me well, and my team and I have chosen the perfect game plan to beat him. I will be like his shadow – staying one-step and one-punch ahead of him at all times. If he thinks this will be an easy fight, he is mistaken.
“The European title is very important and prestigious belt, and now that I’m older and have more experience, I appreciate its value much more. This is a fight I have to win. I will give it my all and not stop until my hand is raised. I believe this will be the fight of the night, and once it’s over, everyone will know the name Mateusz Masternak.”
Ahead of their Cruiserweight clash, Masternak has warned Bellew not to attempt any trash talking, advising the 33 year-old to ‘save his strength’ for the ring.
“I’ve seen Bellew try to intimidate his opponents before but I’m sure he’s clever enough not to attempt this with me,” says ‘The Master’. “This sort of empty aggression and trash talking has no effect on me. Instead of trying to fight me at the press conference or the weigh-in, Bellew should save his strength, because he will need it in the ring!”
Buffer to Call Joshua vs. Whyte
Michael Buffer is heading to London to introduce Saturday’s event. The Hall of Fame MC returns to the Greenwich venue to call the fighters to the ring for the huge Heavyweight showdown between Anthony Joshua MBE and Dillian Whyte, and the WBA World Middleweight title eliminator between Chris Eubank Jr. and Spike O’Sullivan.
Buffer will also introduce the main event fighters at Friday’s weigh-in at The Indigo O2 before a stacked bill thrills the sold-out arena – and the American cannot wait to take his ringside seat for the night.
“Once again, I am looking forward to visiting London and another great evening of world-class boxing at The O2,” said Buffer. “I was looking at the list of fights and it may be one of the most solid line-ups from top to bottom I’ve ever seen. There’s the two British Olympic gold medallists Anthony Joshua MBE and Luke Campbell MBE along with standouts, Chris Eubanks Jr., Tony Bellew, Kevin Mitchell and Paulie Malignaggi. This is a fight fan’s dream night of boxing.
“The headliner of course is Heavyweight Anthony Joshua as he takes on the undefeated Dillian ‘The Villain’ Whyte in a twelve rounder for the vacant British title along with AJ’s Commonwealth belt. This is going to be Joshua’s toughest opponent to date. It’s a matchup of power punching big men and each will tip the scales at around 240 plus pounds.
“Everyone tells me Whyte has no fear and he’s been on a knockout binge himself with eleven straight wins inside the distance. Of course, we all know about Joshua’s pro record which is a rampage of 14 wins, all by KO, in his 14 pro fights. I don’t think this fight will disappoint the fans as most believe it won’t go the final bell. We just need a referee that will count to count to ten.
“With Tyson Fury now holding the World Heavyweight title, this fight figures to give the winner an inside track to what must be considered an eventual monster all British contest for the most prominent championship in all of sports. The thought of that boggles the mind.
“A personal highlight, for me, will be seeing my cast mate from the movie Creed, Tony Bellew. The fans are going to love him in that movie as he is prominently featured and turns in a great performance.
“This will my first chance to introduce Chris Eubank Jr. and as I’ve known his dad for so long it’s going to be a real treat as he faces Spike O’Sullivan in battle of top tier Middleweights.”
Opponent Named for Vijender Singh
Indian superstar Vijender Singh steps up in experience when he takes on Samet Hyuseinov on December 19 at the Manchester Arena.
Unbeaten Singh has steamed through his first two professional opponents, beating Sonny Whiting in his debut in October and followed that up with a one round demolition of Dean Gillen in Dublin last month.
The 30-year-old hot-shot now takes on Bulgaria’s experienced Hyuseinov for his third pro fight as he continues on his quest to become India’s first ever professional world champion and end the year undefeated.
Whereas Whiting and Gillen had a combined record of five fights, Hyuseinov has 14 fights under his belt, winning seven fights and losing seven, with a total of 68 rounds and extending a number of prospects the distance.
“This is another important fight for me that I must win so the pressure is on,” Said Singh.
“I’m unbeaten and intend to stay that way going into next year where I am looking at my first title fight so I’m not letting Hyuseinov mess up my plans to get my first championship belt,”
“While I got rid of Whiting and Gillen early, I’ll have to see what Hyuseinov brings to the ring on the night. If I feel that I can take him out early I will go in for the early knockout and get the job done nice and quick,”
“He’s very experienced though and with 14 fights and 68 rounds he’s got the advantage over me in that department. It’s a step up for me though and if I can deal with him before the end of the four rounds then I know that I’m improving.”
However, bolshy Hyuseinov has threatened to stop the Indian Express in his tracks and inflict the first loss on his record.
“Singh has never, never met anyone like me and he will realise what it is like with a real professional on the 19th December,”
“How can he look to fight for titles next year when he’s only had two fights and four rounds? He thinks that I’m some fool he’s going to just knock over easily,”
“I will take great delight in handing Singh his first loss and sending him back home to India beaten and broken. In fact I will tell you what I will do to him, I will smash him to the body to loosen him up and then a right hand to knock him out, just watch me.”
Thomas Kindon Improves to 7-0
Super-bantamweight prospect, Thomas Kindon (7-0) made it seven wins from seven fights defeating experienced Estonian boxer, Sergey Tasimov (10-52-4) on points over six three-minute rounds, live on Channel 5 on December 5th at Carshalton’s Westcroft Leisure Centre on a Hennessy Sports show.
The 20-year-old Surrey boxer known as the ‘Pocket Rocket’ had to adapt to beat the Northern European who recently held unbeaten prospect, Ramzy Nassa (6-0-1) to a draw at the Magna Centre in Rotherham in October this year.
Kindon loaded up on his shots, looking to hurt his foreign counterpart but was made to work hard for the full six rounds scored at 60-54 to the Surrey boxer by referee, Ian John-Lewis.
Post-fight Kindon said of his durable opponent, “He’s been around the block so he knows what he’s doing and he was there to give me a test.
“I didn’t box the best I’d ever boxed but my trainers were happy and we got the win.
“I wasn’t going for the knockout, I did relax a bit and caught him with a good right hand in the fourth. I caught him twice and he wobbled a bit but took it well.”
Kindon described his first experience boxing on TV, “I was fine with it, I just took it as a normal show with the cameras there recording the DVD so didn’t make any difference.”
Of his plans for next year, the ‘Pocket Rocket’ estimated, “Think it’ll be late January or early February next. I’ve got to keep fit and stay ready so will keep ticking over all through Christmas, nothing too intense ‘cos it will just burn me out so I’ll enjoy Christmas and go from there.”
Ben Day crowned Southern Area champ with stunning first round KO
Unbeaten Teignmouth-born boxer, Ben ‘The Entertainer’ Day (8-0-1) stopped opponent, Ryan ‘Crash Bang’ Taylor (10-6-1) in just two minutes and nine seconds to scoop up the vacant Southern Area super-lightweight title on December 5th at London’s York Hall.
The 37-year-old Devonian absolutely sizzled in what was a highly impressive 129 seconds of boxing action.
From the opening bell, Day radiated confidence, adopting his traditional elusive style with hands held low, avoiding Taylor’s punches with ease whilst scoring stinging shots of his own.
Day dropped Taylor with a well-placed left hook flush to the chin and although he bravely continued, the facial expressions clearly displayed the effects it had and it was all over shortly afterwards.
10 years his junior, Taylor failed to land a single punch on the older opponent and absorbed one too many body shots when caught on the ropes causing the referee to step in and call off the contest.
Post-fight, an ecstatic victor stated, “I can’t believe it, it’s crazy! I could see his shots coming before he even threw them, the shot I caught him with I had been working on in the gym.”
Trained by brothers Frank and Johnny Greaves out of the famous Peacock Gym in Canning Town, this was Taylor’s third crack at the Southern Area crown and now third consecutive loss.
The London gym owner, now unbeaten in nine fights and four years, became trainer Rod Julian’s first Southern Area champion to finish off the year in style for the ever-expanding RJ’s Gym in Essex.
Day has now twice won titles with first round finishes, the first being the International Masters Bronze lightweight strap with a first round KO of Latvian opponent, Ilja Sovdra in March this year with just 1:11 on the clock, also at the York Hall.
“Started boxing at 27, two white collar fights and I turned pro, now I’m 37 and the Southern Area champion, people have got to give me credit now,” said the new Southern Area super-lightweight champion.
Pre-fight, Day mentioned eyeing the English title next, currently held by Joe Hughes who defended his honours on the same night against Ricky Hatton’s protégé, Anthony Upton in Walsall, winning via unanimous decision.
Grant Dennis defeats Wayne Reed for the British Challenge belt
Unbeaten middleweight prospect, Grant ‘Go-Getter’ Dennis (5-0) defeated the experienced Wayne Reed (12-14) at Medway Park, Gillingham to lift the British Challenger belt on November 28th.
It was the first time that a Kent boxer has won the newly-sanctioned Challenger belt on the JE Promotions event titled, ‘Kent’s Finest’ featuring exciting prospects from the ‘Garden of England’.
Despite being a bold step up in class for the 32-year-old from Chatham, Dennis excelled in an impressive performance using fluid movement, rapid hand speed and exciting variety of combinations to outpoint the 28-year-old southpaw from Sheffield.
Dennis had little trouble getting to grips with Reed, boxing skilfully behind an impenetrable defence with swift, stinging attacks.
The former Central Area champion from Yorkshire did not make it easy for the ‘Go-Getter’ in front of his home crowd, who stood firm until the final bell sounded.
“It was a cracking fight but I was too sharp for him,” said the victor. “I knew he’d be tough and he pushed me but he also got the best out of me.”
The eight-round bout provided the Medway boxer with his first stretch going past four rounds.
“The longer rounds suit me,” stated Dennis. “I start warming up after the first two or three rounds, I could have done 12 rounds in there, and I always train for that.”
The Promoter’s Association recently came together to form the Challenger belt, agreed by the BBBofC. The governing body carefully consider each fight presented by the promoter, only approving if deemed worthy of the tag.
“For me, it’s a great achievement especially being the first in Kent to win the belt,” enthused the winner. “I’m hungry so this is just the starters, I’ve still got main course and dessert to go, so this is just the start of the journey.”
“I want to keep building my record and I want the Southern Area title, hopefully around the middle of next year and would like to be in line for the English by the end of the year.”
