JOHN HEDGES REVS UP FOR ENCOUNTER WITH PAT BROWN LATER THIS YEAR
John Hedges and Pat Brown have agreed terms for one of the most high-profile English title fights in some time.
Hedges (12-0, 3 KOs) will make a mandatory defense of his cruiserweight belt against Brown (6-0, 6 KOs) on a Matchroom show. A date and venue have yet to be announced.
It was initially hoped that the fight would take place earlier this month. Instead, Hedges traveled north to see Brown stop Vasil Ducar in eight rounds.
As far as Hedges was concerned, he was to end the evening by getting into the ring to announce a title defense against the 2024 Olympian.
The 24-year-old is one of the most even-tempered, respectful fighters in British boxing whilst the no-nonsense Brown has very quickly made it clear that he isn’t going to engage in any fake pre-fight histrionics. With around 2,000 of Brown’s fans looking on, Hedges climbed between the ropes expecting, at the very least, a firm handshake and an intense stare down.
Brown wasted little time in informing him that he was no longer interested in him or the English title.
“It was the last thing I expected. You've just knocked out Vasil Ducar. You should be confident. You've got a great stoppage win on your record. You've got a man who, technically, isn’t known as a big puncher stood in front of you,” Hedges told The Ring.
“You should think, ‘I can take on anyone,’ but, yeah, just proper negative vibes. I don't know whether it's the southpaw thing or the height thing, I don't know. It was just very unexpected.”
Talks quickly re-opened and now the stage is set for a real clash of styles.
The aggressive, heavy-handed Brown will have to work out how to track down and trap the 6-foot-5, slick southpaw. Hedges, who won a host of amateur titles, is confident that he although he is the champion, Brown is shouldering the most pressure.
“I'm just a banana skin I think, more than anything because people should be beating me. And then if they don't, I don't think they can live with themselves not beating me,” he said. “Me fighting Pat, everyone writes me off. I love that. I'm not really given a proper chance. People are going to think I’m gonna get beat and I'll go in there and prove them wrong.
“Pat versus me, it's a must-win fight for Pat.”
After turning professional as a super middleweight, Hedges has hit his stride since allowing his frame to grow into the cruiserweight division. His path certainly hasn’t been smooth.
After beating Lewis Oakford to become the Southern Area champion, Hedges left Mark Tibbs and joined with Ricky Hatton for his English title win over Nathan Quarless. Hatton’s tragic death meant that Hedges and his new trainer, Frank Greaves, had to quickly piece together a gameplan for his win over Ellis Zorro.
Hedges has overcome the issues and managed to build some momentum. The fight with Brown may have been agreed but the Mancunian did hurt his left hand during the opening round of the fight with Ducar. If the issue does sideline him for any length of time, Hedges doesn’t want to sit and become a plot line in someone else’s story.
“I need to fight,” he said. “My last fight was obviously in December so I need to start getting back active. I’ve not had that long out. We’re only in April now, but if he starts saying, ‘I can't fight till October, November’ there's another fight for me to be had, isn't there?”
That fight with Brown may be for the English title but it holds much more significance.
Viddal Riley holds the British title but will begin seeking a world title shot after his impressive recent win over Mateusz Masternak.
With the British title likely to become vacant and high-profile names such as Brown, the explosive Aloys Junior and the experienced Chev Clarke around, Hedges has the ideal opportunity to make a real name for himself over the coming month and years.
“It's all timing, isn't it? The whole of boxing, it's just about the timing you hit things at and that's how people get the easier routes and et cetera, et cetera. But if you time things right, it’s massive what can happen. It's weird how it's all happening.”
