CONRAD CUMMINGS has warned Alfredo Meli he’s about to discover “what dynamite is”.
Cummings (7-0) takes on fellow unbeaten Irish middleweight Meli (11-0) at the Waterfront Hall on November 20 with the Celtic title at stake. Last week, Meli said he didn’t fear Cummings as a puncher, but the Shane McGuigan-trained Coalisland native predicts he’ll think differently after their fight.
“Of course he’s allowed his opinion,” said Cummings.
“You’re going to get all this he-said, she-said stuff before the fight and I’m not into that. He fought me as an amateur with big gloves on and I won the fight easy enough – I won it in second or third gear because I had the Irish Seniors the following week and I was saving myself.
“I probably didn’t hit that hard, we were amateur boxers. But the difference now is this is professional boxing – I live the life, I train hard and believe you me he’s going to meet a different beast in the middle of the ring on November 20th, that’s a fact. He’s going to know what dynamite is.”
This rumble should bring the best out of both fighters. Though he always looks in great shape, Cummings has never been in any trouble or pushed that hard in any of his seven scraps so far but Meli will test him.
As a full-time pro, Cummings’ extra fitness and conditioning should have an effect down the stretch (if it goes that far) while Meli, who works 9-5 as a Vauxhall technician, may have his best chance to win in the first half of the fight.
“It’s all on the line and it’s a big fight for both of us,” said Cummings.
“I’m 7-0 now and he’s 11-0 and I know where I want to finish up – at the very stop – and this is another step on the ladder. I’m not looking past Alfredo Meli, he’s a tough guy and a volume puncher, but I’m going to beat him on November 20th and I can’t wait to get in there.
“That last fight in American, I did a 14-week training camp and I went over to America but I didn’t know who I was fighting until two days before the fight. I didn’t even match a video of the guy. This is better because I know exactly what’s happening and time is flying. Fredo is going to come at me and he’s going to be a volume puncher. He might expect the same of me but he’s in for a surprise.”
Both fighters are well supported and the mix of Tyrone and Belfast fans should make for a great atmosphere at the Waterfront Hall.
“It should be noisy,” said Cummings.
“I’m very lucky I have a good support building and I’m sure Fredo will bring a few down and I’ve no doubt it’s going to be noisy. I’ve sold quite a few tickets already.
“The title of the show is ‘All on the line’ and hats off to Fredo for taking the fight – he took it when a lot of other guys didn’t want it so fair play to him. I expect him to weigh-in over the first few rounds. But the difference is that he’s meeting a fully-fledged middleweight and full-time professional. He’s taking a step up in his 12th fight and he’s going to find a big difference.
“When I meet him in the middle of that ring and hitting him with them punches with them small gloves, I tell you what, he’s going to know all about it. But he’s a good fighter, a good tough guy and I’m expecting a good fight.”
THERE are some cracking scraps on Saturday night’s Champions at the Europa bill at Belfast’s Europa Hotel.
Four of the City’s most exciting prospects are on show in a card headlined by the talented and undefeated Paul Hyland jnr (7-0) who faces a young and strong Bence Molnar (13-5).
Molnar was National Junior champion in his native Hungary over eight rounds for the PBA Classic Lightweight Challenge belt and has never been stopped or knocked down as an amateur or professional as has all the trimmings of a small hall classic dust up.
The undercard includes 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games medallist Joe Fitzpatrick who is looking to make it three wins from three against the well-travelled and durable Peter Mellar as he warms up for his big television debut as a professional Frank Warren, Box Nation promoted show on November 7 in the National Stadium in Dublin.
Super Featherweight James ‘The Future’ Fryers (9-0) takes on the Bulgarian number one and former International Masters Champion Yordan Vasilev in a good 6x3 round contest. Fryers, ranked 10 in Britain, is looking to push himself into British Title contention as he goes for win number 10.
Belfast’s highly ranked featherweight king James Tennyson (13-1) the big punching Celtic Champion who boasts 10 knock out wins from 13 victories is in with former European Title challenger George Gachechiladze of Georgia in an exciting looking contest over eight rounds. Tennyson is expected to be installed as mandatory challenger for the British featherweight crown later this week.
Several stars of yesteryear will be in attendance including former WBC Featherweight champion Paul ‘Hoko’ Hodkinson and WBO Welterweight champion Eamon Loughran to pay tribute to the legendary Barney Eastwood who will be in attendance with many local sporting celebrities who have snapped up the VIP tickets for this exciting show.
VIP dinner tickets are now sold out there are a limited number of ringside (£40) and unreserved (£30) remaining - telephone 07712473905.
RYAN BURNETT says he wants to “step things up” after he won the vacant WBO European Bantamweight title with a second round TKO win against Robert Kanalas from Hungary at the Manchester Arena on Saturday.
The talented Belfast bantamweight (11-0) showed his growing maturity in the ring and patiently walked his opponent down in the second round before unleashing a powerful right hook to send the Hungarian fighter crashing to the canvas. He was down again twice before the end of the round and the referee waved the fight over.
Burnett relocated to London a year ago to the Booth Boxing Gym where his skills have been honed by renowned trainer Adam Booth – Saturday’s was their seventh straight win together.
“I’m over the moon to win my first title belt, boxing is my life and winning titles is my goal. They are the trophies of success,” said Burnett.
“I’m a young fighter and I’m learning in every fight and in the gym. I have won 11 out of 11 fights, which have been a good foundation for me in my career, so I am now ready to step things up a level and test myself.”
That test will come next month, when Burnett will trade punches with veteran fighter Jason Booth for the vacant British Bantamweight Title on 23 November 2015 in London.
Adam Booth added: “Ryan put on an impressive performance this evening and was patient in going about his business. He is out again next month against a seasoned and experienced professional in Jason Booth.
“Ryan’s natural strengths are he is very quick, he’s very strong and he’s very clever and they’re not bad ingredients to be working with.’
“Punching power is a combination of speed, strength and technique, and he has the speed and the strength, so the technique is my responsibility.”
