Jamie McDonnell warning from Dennis Hobson

Promoter Dennis Hobson admits he has a few reservations over the task facing European champion Jamie McDonnell at Doncaster Dome on January 22.

The Doncaster boxer is taking on what the Sheffield entrepreneur considers one of the toughest bantamweights on the continent in the mandatory defence of McDonnell’s EBU (European) title.

“When the name Stephane Jamoye came up, I thought ‘Crikey’ “admits Hobson.

“I’d rather have had this guy another one or two fights away.

“I wanted Jamie to thoroughly establish himself (he won the vacant bantamweight title last March) and sometimes you wonder if certain fights come too early.

“I had this situation with Clinton Woods early in his career, you send young fighters to London and the US to experience different things but you reach a point where you just have to let them off the leash,” said Hobson.

“Sometimes I am cautious with fighters.

“Actually I thought it might have been too early for James DeGale when he fought Paul Smith, for example, but he really showed his class that night.

“For Jamie, I would rather this one had come six or 12 month down the line.

“But, really, I am not unduly worried. And I wouldn’t want to hold him back. It is probably 60-40 in Jamie’s favour, although if it was away from home, I’d say it was 50-50.”

McDonnell, 24, is taking on a younger opponent in Belgium’s Jamoye.

Jamoye, aged 21, had an 18-match winning run until being outpointed to the WBC Youth World bantamweight title in Mexico, last August.

That defeat doesn’t give Hobson any comfort however.

“He lost that fight by a split decision, and it seems like it was a home-town decision, too.

“The guy is highly rated by the WBC and while I know Jamie can beat him, he will have stick to the game plan.

“He has got to listen to what he is told, as he did in France (beating Jerome Arnould for the title) and against Ian Napa (winning the British bantamweight title last January) to succeed.”

McDonnell has a won 15 (KO seven) lost two, drawn one record. Jamoye has 19 wins out of 20. -source Bob Westerdale www.thestar.co.uk

On the undercard.

Ian Nappa makes a ring return when he takes on Manchester’s unbeaten prospect Terry Flanagan, in a fight that is a brave move for both at this stage of their careers.

Nappa one of the most gifted and skillful British fighters in the game, is now coming to the end of his successful domestic career and has lost his last two fights.

Both were in 2010, against Jamie McDonnell, who out-pointed the Londoner over twelve rounds for the British bantamweight title and the vacant Commonwealth belt. Although the fight was very close and Nappa felt he had done enough win.

He was then pulled out by his corner in his last fight against Stuart Hall in June, when he began to experience breathing trouble and exhaustion during the fight.

But Nappa is giving boxing another go and must feel he will have too much experience and ring know how for the unbeaten Manchester prospect Flanagan, who has only had eight fights to date.

Both fighters are at either end of the professional scale, Nappa in his twilight years and looking for one last ring hurrah. While Flanagan is at the beginning of his boxing story and a win would see him gain a top 10 British ranking.

A loss for Nappa would not give him many more places to go and would maybe put an end to his fighting days.

Terry Flanagan and coach Stephen Maylett

Where as a win for Flanagan against a British boxing name such as Nappa, would be a massive achievement considering he is taking a gambled step up in class and is relatively unknown outside of his Manchester suburb.

But Flanagan’s trainer Stephen Maylett believes that their brave match making will pay off and that southpaw Flanagan who has had no break in training over the Christmas period in preparation for the fight, can pull off the win and make his name in the game by beating one.

“We’ve been training hard and everything is going well. We know it’s going to be an awkward fight and that Nappa will be trying to rectify his last defeat against Stuart Hall, but we think it’s a fight we can win.” said Maylett.

Terry has got the style to cause Nappa problems, also this will be the fight that puts Terry on the map, not a lot of people have heard about or seen him box so this is his chance for his career to take off.” – Stephen Maylett

“We are not underestimating Nappa by any means, but I’m confident in my fighters ability and skills, that’s why I took the match.” added Maylett.

The fight will be over four rounds. Full report on this fight coming soon..

Carl Johanneson (29-4) the former British super-featherweight champion from Leed’s, boxes Akaash Bhatia (15-1) in a crossroads fight. The winner will be in line to face British champ Gary Sykes.

Sheffield middleweight Liam Cameron (7-0) is one of British boxing’s most talked about talents and face Leicester’s durable Lester Walsh over six rounds.

Also on the bill is Sunderland’s big hitting Glenn Foot who bids to make it a hat-trick of first round wins when he face Birmingham’s Dee Mitchell (9-11) who has only been stopped once in 20 fights.

Tickets for this bumper night of boxing, priced £60 and £30 are available from www.frankmaloney.com and 0871 226 1508

Related articles

Home pressure for McDonnell (skysports.com)
Flanagan ready to take the next Nappa step
Terry Flanagan stars in ‘To be a Boxer’

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