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McIntyre Looks Forward To A Brighter 2010


WelshDevilRob

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Kevin McIntyre has had very little to celebrate during 2009 but things are already looking more promising for next year after he was nominated to face Mark Thompson in an eliminator for the British welterweight title at the Altrincham Centre on Friday January 15.

 

McIntyre, from Paisley, was due to rematch Brett Flournoy today (December 18) after their October clash was halted before the end of round two due to the ringside doctors departing to attend the injured Jason Rushton in the changing rooms.

 

After the Flournoy fight fell through, McIntyre, whose only other outing during 2009 was a two-round demolition of Jay Morris back in February, thought his dream of a shot at his old British championship was further away than ever until the British Boxing Board of Control’s ruling at their monthly meeting.

 

McIntyre said: “I was actually offered the chance to fight Thompson on last month’s Anthony Small-Thomas McDonagh bill but it was at three days notice and, given that there has been talk of a fight between us for a few years, I thought there should be a title on the line or us having an eliminator for a title.

 

“That is exactly what Hatton Promotions have requested and the Board approved. Purse bids had actually been called for and won by Frank Maloney for me to fight Thompson in an eliminator two years ago but that was scrapped when Kevin Anderson decided to make a voluntary defence against me and I took the title from him.”

 

After a successful first defence in the return with Anderson, McIntyre was controversially stripped of the belt for twice failing to meet mandatory contender Kell Brook due to injury.

 

When the pair eventually got it on, the Sheffield man floored McIntyre three times before the bout was stopped inside a single round. McIntyre has been looking to redeem himself ever since and is determined to regain and defend the Lonsdale belt to give him the four victories he requires to keep it outright.

 

Brook has already racked up four wins and earned his own version of what is widely regarded as the most beautiful belt in the sport but defends against Michael Jennings at Wembley Arena on February 13.

 

With 22 wins, 14 coming inside the distance, and one defeat, Thompson poses a serious threat to McIntyre’s ambitions.

 

McIntyre said: “Thompson looks to be very fit, powerful and puts his shots together well so I will have to keep a tight guard against him. However, I do see quite a few flaws in his make-up which I believe I can exploit.

 

“After ten years as a professional this will be the first time I have had to train over the festive period. I used to joke whenever I watched the first Friday Fight Night of the new year that I was glad I didn’t have to train through Christmas but it won’t be a problem as I am really up for this fight.

 

“My weight is really good because I was training for December 18 anyway. Every time I was catching Flournoy clean in our fight I was hurting him so I would have been confident of a stoppage victory if we had fought again.

 

“My trainer Colin Bellshaw’s Renfrewshire Boxing Club is packed out at the moment. Kris Carslaw and George McIlroy are boxing at the end of January and Ryan Brawley is out in February so there will be no shortage of sparring partners for me.”

 

“Hopefully a win will get me into mandatory position to fight the winner from Brook-Jennings. Everything is still focused towards winning back the British title and defending it so I can have a Lonsdale belt for keeps.”

 

Anyone looking to buy tickets for McIntyre’s fight with Thompson can contact Colin Bellshaw on 07731 808 381.

 

Source:

www.secondsout.com

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