Scott Quigg will defend his WBA title against Stephane Jamoye at the Phones 4u Arena in Manchester on September 13, The former European Bantamweight champion has a fine recent record against British opposition, claiming the Euro strap with an eighth round KO against Lee Haskins in December 2012 in his native Belgium and then defended the belt against Ashley Sexton three months later.
Jamoye, 24, will be in his second World title fight this year having travelled to Osaka to face Japan’s Shinsuke Yamanaka for the WBC Bantamweight title and has mixed in World class company, dropping a controversial decision to current World champions Tomoki Kameda and Leo Santa Cruz earlier in his career.
Quigg’s clash with Jamoye tops an action-packed bill in Manchester, with Anthony Crolla defending his WBO Inter-Continental Lightweight title against Gamaliel Diaz and Olympic gold medal hero Anthony Joshua MBE hunting an eighth KO win in the Heavyweight division.
Scotty Cardle challenges Kirk Goddings for the English Lightweight title with the fight also an eliminator for the British belt, the first of two exciting eliminator contests for the coveted Lord Lonsdale strap as Welterweights Sam Eggington and Denton Vassell clash while local favourites Liam Hanrahan and Sam Hyde are joined by former Team GB star Gamal Yafai and Derbyshire’s Jack Massey.
Warrington lands Euro title shot; faces Davide Dieli for vacant belt on October 4
Josh Warrington will tackle Davide Dieli for the vacant European Featherweight title at the First Direct Arena in Leeds on October 4.
Unbeaten Leeds star Warrington can add the belt to his British and Commonwealth strap after Lee Selby vacated the belt after he secured an eliminator for the IBF World title, with Italian Dieli having designs on the belt himself having held the EU title in 2012. Warrington’s clash with the 35 year old tops a bill with former two-weight World champion Ricky Burns back in action, Light Middleweight World title challenger Brian Rose and Liverpool’s Super Middleweight star Callum Smith.
Tickets go on sale at midday today (August 26) exclusively for Matchroom Boxing Fight Pass members at www.matchroomboxing.com/fightpass and tickets on general sale from midday tomorrow following the press conference at The Leeds City Museum with the £30, £40 and £60 tickets available at www.firstdirectarena.com.
TOM BAKER: ‘THE STOPPAGE OF TILL HAS GIVEN ME A LOT OF CONFIDENCE.
A bright talent to emerge on BoxNation screens last season was stylish Chingford super-middle Tom Baker. The 6ft 1in redhead with the ramrod left jab made five starts since July 2013 and excelled in each to advance his slate to a perfect 9-0.
The former two time senior English ABA finalist and regular England rep kick starts his new campaign with a six rounder at the York Hall on September 20TH. Last week, boxing writer Glynn Evans caught up with quiet but likeable 22 year old to review his career thus far and discuss his aspirations for 2014-15.
You were raised as a Romany gypsy, one of 13 kids on a site in Chingford, Essex. What’s your recollection of growing up as a young traveller lad?
Very happy times. We were brought up rough and ready but I liked that. My mum and dad have since done very well for themselves.
I had a pair of boxing gloves on for as long as I can remember and was always a big fan. All six of my brothers boxed and my uncle ‘Plod’ (Mark Baker) was once a Commonwealth super-middleweight champion.
I went right through school from nursery up until I was 16 but, like most travellers, I really enjoyed the outdoor life. We went ‘coursing’ for rabbits with the dogs and I enjoyed all types of hunting, still do.
And of course there were all the ‘knuckle’ fights to settle arguments or for side bets. They’re a big part of gypsy culture and they’re much harder than the pro fights. Very rough. They were good to watch.
You were a top quality amateur at the Repton and West Ham clubs, twice reaching the senior English ABA final. In what ways have you needed to adjust your style to adapt to the harsher professional code?
Starting out I was very stiff but Mark Tibbs has spent a lot of time helping me to relax so that my shots can flow better. I’ve always had a hard, stiff jab so we want to maintain that.
I’m really enjoying the pros. You can see a lot more, boxing without the head guards and, though I’m not a real banger, I enjoy fighting with the smaller gloves. I don’t get hit much myself but can inflict more pain on the opponents.
Mark is my main trainer but Jimmy, his dad, also helps out. I owe a lot to both for the way that they’ve guided me and helped me develop into a decent pro. They’re both no nonsense guys, who’ve been in the game a long time and don’t tolerate any idiots or messing about.
I’m also very fortunate that I’ve received a lot of top quality sparring. I’ve been to Wales three or four times to work with (ex WBO light-heavyweight champion) Nathan Cleverly and regularly spar with (European middleweight king) Billy Joe Saunders. He’s got fantastic hand speed and head movement.
You’ve been a professional for just over two years now and are unbeaten in nine fights with just two stoppages. Thus far, you’ve only boxed at four and six round level. How do you assess your progress?
Pretty good. I feel I’ve improved in all ways. I’ve managed to stay unbeaten and I’ve lost a lot of my bad amateur habits. I’m starting to look more like a pro now. I’m beginning to build the rounds up and my stamina is certainly getting better. I’m now maintaining my level throughout a fight, rather than just starting brightly.
What areas do you feel you still need to develop before you can be unleashed into title fights?
I need to get a bit more age on me and work on improving my strength. Still, at the level that I’m fighting at, I think I’m doing good.
Life as an apprentice pro, before you start to earn championship purses, must be far from glamorous.
Yeah, we’re certainly not like these Premier League footballers. If I’m not in training for a fighter, I still work as a roofer for my dad’s business and I basically keep my head down. Work, train, sleep, repeat. I’m married now so that’s my focus. There’s lots of time to go out enjoying myself after I’ve retired. It’s all hard graft at the minute.
You’ve always been regarded as a classy technician. However, in your last start against Stoke’s Mark Till, you demonstrated one shot ‘take out’ power for the first time, ended the fight with a single right uppercut. How have you gone about developing that?
I’m 22 and I think my ‘man strength’ is finally starting to come. I might do a couple of weights classes over a fortnight to help improve my power but, to be honest, it’s more to do with me being far more relaxed now.
Initially as a pro, I went looking for knockouts or to bowl the opponent over. Mark’s slowed me right down and now the shots are coming off better. My timing has improved because I’m not rushing. A couple of fights before, I had Harry Matthews ‘going’ when I caught him sweet with a single shot but I backed off. And Harry’s a real hard man. No one stops him.
We knew Till would be fiery and it took me three or four rounds to settle him down with the jab. I actually just missed him with a couple of uppercuts before I actually landed the one that finished him. It was ideal because I also got six good rounds of experience against a tough pro, before landing the knockout.
With only one stoppage in me previous eight pro fights, this has given me a lot of confidence. I’m starting to put a few fellas down in sparring.
The 12 stone super-middleweight division in which you operate is one of the most densely talented in Britain. How do you assess and rate the key runners and riders?
Carl Froch is definitely the daddy of the group. There’s no one over here who can beat him just yet. Then you’ve got George Groves and James DeGale who are both wicked, world class fighters and pretty evenly matched. I’d edge to George winning again if they eventually have their rematch. James is a southpaw with great movement but George has it all and is still a young man. He’s vicious and skilful.
Next, we’ve got Paul Smith challenging Arthur Abraham for the WBO title next month. Abraham must be nearly 40 (he’s actually 34!) but I doubt Paul will upset him over in Germany.
In fact, I believe his youngest brother Callum is probably already in front of Paul. He’s certainly got better long term potential. I actually beat Callum in the amateurs but today it’s a different story. He’s got a bit of age on me and is definitely further up the ladder. Then you’ve got another Scouser, Rocky Fielding. He’s a good fighter, a big puncher, but he’d not beat Callum Smith.
Finally, what are your aspirations and ambitions for the forthcoming season?
I’m still only 22 so I’m quite happy just to continue moving along nice and steady. I’ve every confidence in Mark Tibbs and Frank Warren knowing the right time to move me up. There’s certainly no rush from my part.
If all goes to plan, I believe the fight on the 20th September at the York Hall shall be my last six rounder. Then I’ll move on to eight round level and we’ll see how I get along there. It’s far different doing it in a fight than it is to doing it in sparring.
By next spring, hopefully I’ll have developed sufficiently to be considered for a Southern Area title fight or possibly even the English. It really depends who the champion is at the time. I want to win titles, not just challenge for them.
Frank Buglioni holds the Southern Area title and he’s just left our gym so I suppose that could happen, in time. ‘The Bug’ is a good friend of mine so I hope it don’t (happen) but boxing, first and foremost, is a business so who knows?
At the moment Frank’s a bit in front of me. He’s a 10-12 round fighter, I’m still fighting six rounders. But we sparred loads over the years and the quality is very high. It’s touch and go, very even. That’s all I’ll say!
