Sport

Rising star Cummings is primed for a melee with Meli

Conrad Cummings (above) and Alfredo Meli (below) are set to go head-to-head in Belfast in November 
Conrad Cummings (above) and Alfredo Meli (below) are set to go head-to-head in Belfast in November  Conrad Cummings (above) and Alfredo Meli (below) are set to go head-to-head in Belfast in November 

ALFREDO MELI and Conrad Cummings are set for a title rumble in Belfast on November 20. 

Immaculata fighter Meli (11-0) has been offered the chance to take on Cyclone Promotions prospect Cummings (7-0) and it is understood that the Celtic middleweight strap is up for grabs. The clash of the two unbeaten local fighters could headline a show at the Waterfront Hall and Meli’s ‘Mac’ stablemate Martin Lindsay predicts a good scrap.

“’Fredo’s willing to accept the fight,” said the former British featherweight champion.

“He has no problem in fighting him, ’Fredo would go in and fight anyone.”

Lindsay says the pressure to win would be on Coalisland’s big-hitting ‘Dynamite’, whose last fight was an impressive second round stoppage win against Mexican Oscar Riojas on the undercard of Carl Frampton’s US-debut at the Don Haskins Convention Centre in El Paso, Texas in July.

“They rate Conrad very highly and it’s his team in Cyclone Promotions that’s picking ’Fredo so they must see weaknesses there that they feel they can exploit,” he said.

“I’m sure they’re picking Conrad to go out and win but that also means a lot of pressure. When you’re picking your opponent Conrad will have all the pressure in the world on his shoulders to go out and win and do a job on ’Fredo.

“They’re not picking him to go out and have a tight fight, they’re picking him to win and look good in doing so.”

Meli and Cummings met in the Ulster senior final during their amateur days and Cummings came out on top that night. Lindsay doesn’t feel that meeting will be a factor on November 20. 

“’Fredo is just a throwback fighter, he likes to put pressure on and he’ll go out and fight his own fight,” he said.

“He won’t be intimidated at all, Conrad beat him in the Ulster seniors, but ’Fredo was only back after a couple of years out of the game. When he came back he was carrying weight, so I wouldn’t read too much into that.

“If it does happen he’ll definitely go out and fight his own fight – he’ll fight fire with fire and he won’t be intimidated at all. 

“I hope it does come off because it’s the type of fight that both of them need. Conrad is a big puncher and he’s a huge talent who big things are expected off. ’Fredo is coming in under the radar, he has built an 11-0 profile up and he’s just going about his business.

“This type of opportunity can propel him on to the next level and he’s happy enough to go in and test himself. If he’s in the gym sparring with five people, or in an arena with 5,000 he’ll fight his own fight – he has a certain style that is easy on the eye and he’ll go and have a war.

“He’ll ask a few questions of Conrad, he definitely will.”