Jeffries shrugs off Twitter taunt

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Jeffries shrugs off Twitter taunt

 

By Ian Laws

Tony Jeffries is unruffled by some early "sledging" from associates of his next opponent Matt Hainy.

Almost as soon as the match was made with the Derby kick-boxing coach, Jeffries began to receive promises from friends of Hainy that the Wearsider's unbeaten professional record would come to an end at Peterlee Leisure Centre on June 4.

 

Like Jeffries, Hainy will also be having only his seventh pro contest – he has one defeat so far – but has drawn confidence from his points victory over the previously unbeaten Londoner Tony Hill.

 

That win came on the same bill as Jeffries' last fight, which was an April 23 points win over Nathan King, at Coventry Skydome.

 

The Sunderland super-middleweight said: "The match was made the other day and it didn't take long for his mates to get onto me on Twitter.

 

"They were saying he would do a number on me and bash me up!

 

"We'll see about that."

 

Hainy's only defeat to date was in a Midlands area super-middleweight title fight against Sam Horton, who was comprehensively beaten at the weekend by Jeffries' 2008 Olympic team-mate James DeGale.

 

The "Mighty Mackem" is pleased to be coming up against opponents who, like himself, are still building a reputation.

 

He said: "Hainy's at the same stage as me with only six fights so far and we're both trying to make our mark as professionals.

 

"It's an important fight for us both and I'm pleased it's back up close to home because I like the pressure of fighting in front of a home crowd."

 

DeGale became the first 2008 British Olympian to claim a pro title when he stopped Horton in the fifth round at Upton Park on Saturday to claim the vacant WBA International super-middleweight crown.

 

Jeffries also hopes to win his first pro title this year, and would love to bring the English super-middleweight belt back to Wearside.

 

It's a title once held by Ryan Kerr, who looked to be making good progress under Sunderland trainer Tommy Conroy before slipping away from boxing.

 

Jeffries said: "A lot of people are talking about a fight between me and James DeGale and that's something that will probably happen in the future.

 

"I've sparred with James when we were amateurs and and it would be a good fight.

 

"But I'm not going to put pressure on myself by saying I'm going to do this or that. I'm still learning.

 

"If I can get the English title this year, I'll be happy and then look for bigger things next year."

 

Tickets for Jeffries's June 4 fight at Peterlee Leisure Centre are priced £30 and £70 (ringside), available from Phil Jeffries on 0191 564 0202 or 07747 611020.

 

A British super-bantamweight title clash between London's Ian Napa and Darlington's Stu Hall tops the bill, with Sunderland-trained Kirk Goodings and Dave Ferguson on the bill as well as explosive Prizefighter cruiserweight winner Jon-Lewis Dickinson.

 

South Shields-based light-welterweight Gary Fox is all set for his professional debut.

 

The boxer will make his professional debut on the undercard of the vacant British bantamweight title fight between Darlington's Stuart Hall and Ian Napa at the Peterlee Leisure Centre on Friday, June 4.

 

The show is promoted by Frank Maloney, and features a host of North East talent, including Tony Jeffries and Fox's stalemate John "Razor" Watson in what looks to be a tremendous night of boxing.

 

Former South Durham ABC star Fox and Watson train at the Harton & Westoe Welfare gym under coach Mal Gates.

 

Source:

www.sunderlandecho.com