DERRY MATHEWS’ third WBU world title defence will not be against former champion Steve Foster Jnr on April 5 after the Mancunian pulled out of the fight.
The 27-year-old has accepted he can no longer make the featherweight limit.
Foster’s withdrawal leaves promoters Sports Network with four weeks to come up with a new opponent, yet Mathews wasn’t letting that upset his training regime.
The 20-0 (11 KO) world champion, who is already just a couple of pounds away from the nine stone limit, kicked-off his sparring programme this week and is simply concentrating on getting in the best possible shape for the fight, which will be screened live on ITV on Grand National day.
‘The Golden Boy’ said: “He’s the big man calling me out in the press conference and telling people he’s going to knock me out, but I had a feeling he was going to pull out. He knew he was going to get another hiding.
“I actually think someone has been down to my gym, seen me bouncing around with a smile on my face and making the weight easily and gone back and told him.
“I don’t think I’ll ever hear the name Steve Foster again and that’s a good thing.
“But he knows I am too big and too strong for him. He was going to get smashed up worse than the first time.”
Mathews is closing in on a shot at WBO champion Steve Luevano, who defends against current number one contender Thailand’s Terdsak Jandaeg in Las Vegas on Saturday, and is now ranked at number three by the governing body.
Yet he is refusing to look past his next defence, regardless of who the opponent turns out to be.
“I’ll probably find out over the next 48 hours who it’s going to be, but I am not afraid of anybody,” Mathews added.
“I feel I am the best featherweight in Europe right now and I have Luevano firmly in my sights.
“Whoever comes in had better be prepared for a battle because I am flying in the gym already and the way things are going I am going to be in the best shape of my career for this fight in Bolton on April 5.”
Tickets for the Bolton show, which also features Amir Khan and big-punching Liverpool light-heavyweight Tony Bellew, are available on Merseyside by calling 0796 0066068.
Max Molyneux wrote:Cook can;t make featherweight anymore without being terribly weight drained and Morris got battered by Simpson.
Cook said he was intending to continue at featherweight. Perhaps, one month is not enough notice for this fight, but he would be Matthews' best opponent to date, weight drained or not.
Well, that makes a crappy show even less appealling. Khan V Pundel is just gonna be a whitewash, there isn't any indication of a good undercard bout either.
Rashad Ismayilov next, surely?