Sport

Last man standing Alfredo Meli ready to rumble on return to Fall's Park

Steven Ward was awarded the prestigious Eddie Shaw Memorial Trophy as the outstanding Irish fighter in 2018. The WBO European light-heavyweight champion was presented the trophy by Dr Martin Duffy, CMO Northern Ireland (left) and secretary John Campbell. Picture by Hugh Russell
Steven Ward was awarded the prestigious Eddie Shaw Memorial Trophy as the outstanding Irish fighter in 2018. The WBO European light-heavyweight champion was presented the trophy by Dr Martin Duffy, CMO Northern Ireland (left) and secretary John Campbell. Steven Ward was awarded the prestigious Eddie Shaw Memorial Trophy as the outstanding Irish fighter in 2018. The WBO European light-heavyweight champion was presented the trophy by Dr Martin Duffy, CMO Northern Ireland (left) and secretary John Campbell. Picture by Hugh Russell

ALFREDO Meli is the last man standing from the only previous professional boxing bill at the Falls Park.

The 16-0-1 middleweight, who works as a full-time mechanic, beat Rhys Fegan in the first bill at the west Belfast venue back in 2016 and he appears again at the Feile an Phobail extravaganza on Saturday night against unbeaten Armenian-born German prospect Araik Marutjan (8-0).

Like so many of the fighters on the Feile card, including headliner Michael Conlan, Commonwealth and British title challenger Paddy Gallagher, Sean McComb, Irish super-middleweight challenger Padraig McCrory and Dee Sullivan, Meli lives just a stone’s throw away from ‘the Park’.

After issues flagged up on a scan two years ago stalled his progress, the former Immaculata ABC star is determined to make up for lost time with an impressive win on Saturday night.

He knows he’s in for a real test against 26-year-old Marutjan who travels to Ireland on the back of knockout wins in his last two fights but insists he well prepared to clinch the breakthrough win that would propel him back into the title mix.

“I’m looking forward to this fight,” said Meli.

“He’s a good quality opponent but that’s what you’re in this game for – to get good fights like this. He’s a prospect and this fight well let me know where I am and (winning it will) mean I can move on to better things.

“I think I’m ready for titles now but I need to get past this stage first.”

Meli came away with a draw in a ding-dong Irish middleweight clash with Conrad Cummings in late 2015 and was then booked for a Commonwealth title shot against Sam Sheedy. A brain scan flagged up irregularities and the fight was cancelled but Meli was given the all-clear to return to the ring later that year.

However, he has fought just twice since December 2017 and knows he needs a win on Saturday night to kick on with his career.

“That’s just the way it goes,” he said.

“Sometimes you can touch lucky and sometimes you don’t. You just get up and carry on with it and that’s why I’m thankful for my job, a lot of boys don’t have that.

“I rely on my boxing but I also have my work too.”

He’ll have Belfast fight legend Gerard ‘Nugget’ Nugent in his corner on Saturday and alongside him is fellow ‘Mac’ stalwart Martin Lindsay (former British featherweight champion).

His dad, ’Fredo senior, will also be in the team while his wife Aisling – who is expecting the couple’s third child - handles his dietary requirements.

“She makes sure I make the weight,” said Meli, who travelled to Wales for some sparring at Tony Borg’s gym in Newport, which is former IBF featherweight champion Lee Selby’s training base, to tune up for Saturday night.

“I’m very thankful for the whole lot of them, I thank them for their patience because sometimes I throw the head up but they stick by me.

“MTK have been very patient with me too. Once they got me on this bill I was like ‘happy days’ and I’ll try and make it two in-a-row at the Park.

“It’s familiar ground to me, like a lot of the other lads I live very close to it, I’m about 300 yards away from it.”

PADRAIG McCrory expects Steve Collins junior to come out blazing when he takes him on for the Irish super-middleweight title on a packed undercard at the Feile an Phobail show at Falls Park on Saturday night.

Well-schooled stylist McCrory reckons he is within touching distance of European level so adding the scalp of Collins – son of ring legend Steve senior, Ireland’s first two-weight world champion – to his CV will propel him towards the title shot he is targeting.

Collins fought at Windsor Park in August last year. He lost on points to Steven Ward at light-heavyweight that night and is dropping down to super-middleweight for the first time in a 14-2-1 career that began in 2013. He may feel that his best chance of winning is to blast McCrory out early but ‘the Hammer’ is prepared for that.

“I watched him against Steven and he was quite negative, so I’m expecting him to be more aggressive this time around and I’m prepared for that,” said McCrory.

“It’s his first fight at super-middleweight and I’m leaving it up to him to make weight. He’s a professional fighter and has said he can make weight so I can only believe him.

“I’m glad to get the chance to fight for my first title, it means the world to me and I will give everything to get it.

“I want to have a least two more fights before the year is out and maybe pushing towards a ranking European belt.”

SEAN Duffy intends to add to his fanbase when he takes on durable English journeyman Naheem Chaudhry at Feile an Phobail on Saturday night.

County Armagh puncher Duffy is one of the few home corner fighters from outside Belfast and he hopes to showcase his all-action style at Falls Park on the undercard of Michael Conlan’s eagerly-awaited WBA and WBO Inter-Continental featherweight title rumble with Diego Ruiz.

Keady lightweight Duffy made his debut in May and forced a rare stoppage loss against teak-tough opponent Antonio Horvatic at the Ulster Hall.

“In my debut the fans were going there to see what I’ve got, well now they know I can punch and I’m involved in plenty of action,” he said.

“It means there is not as much pressure in this fight and I like the thought of competing in front of bigger crowds.

“When people tune in and see my style of fighting, they’ll be looking to see more I don’t mind standing in the pocket and maybe getting hit, because I can give it as well as take it.

“It’s an honour to be part of the Feile festival and this is an amazing opportunity. You see it every year with different events and music artists, so for them to have a boxing show on it is brilliant because it’s all part of our culture and ties in together.”