Well, a feast of top class boxing begins next week with an excellent 4 title bill in the Kings Hall belfast. Here is what I think will happen.
Brian Magee (20-0) vs. Hassine Cherifi (34-8-1)
(IBO Supermiddleweight championship).
On paper Cherifi is arguably Brian Magee's toughest opponent to date, however, this fight has gone largely unoticed by the boxing press which I think is down to Magee's ever rising stock. The public are expecting Magee to be to good, this is the same public who believed Cherifi would cause our world rated hope Howard Eastman one or two problems. This is due to the improvements seen in Magee. Cherifi is a good fighter who sadly seems to be on the slide and his ambition might also be on the wane.
Cherifi does nothing spectacular but in his hey day had a geat engine and tremendous heart. One remember his classic dust up with Neville Brown and his (IMO) winning effort against Robin Reid. A former world champion, I believe Cherifi is a good fight for Magee to have at this stage. All the major world champions seem to be preoccupied, I think Cherifi is still possibly better than Andre Thysse (Magee best victory to date) but I would like him to fight some a little better again next time prior to a big world title shot.
As for the fight I see Magee just that little bit fresher, quicker with more ambition and his vastly improved workrate (as shown against Thysse) will be the deciding factor. Despite his last victory I do not class Magee a big pucher, but I think the accumilation of punches will knock out any ambition Cherifi has got left, and he'll score the TKO somewhere around the 9th round.
Roy Rutherford (16-1-1) vs. Dazzo Williams (8-2)
(British Featherweight Championship).
Roy Rutherford seems to be going through an indian summer of late. His decisive victory over Jamie McKeever earned him this title and he looked good enough to go a stage further than domestic that night. However, he has suffered a defeat to Richard Evatt who, although was very sharp at the time they faught (2000), was never a fighter beyond domestic title class.
Dazzo Williams earned this crack through edging past Steve Chinock in an eliminator contest. Trained by Steve Robinson, the Welshman has seemed to settled at Featherweight even though most of his has been a Super Bantam. All the advantages seem to lie with the champion here, Williams has only faught on 10 occasions, and was alarmingly stopped by Journeyman Carl Allen 4 fights ago. Both bring excitiment to the table and this should be a cracker, however it will be hard not to back the champion by a clear points decision.
Tony Dodson (15-3-1) vs. Alan Foster (10-0-1)
(Vacant British Supermiddleweight championship)
Alan Foster is a late starter to the Pro ranks making his debut 4 years ago at the age of 26. However, he amassed an unbeaten record in 11 fights (1 draw). However, his record is full of novices or journeymen (his best win is Ojay Abrahams) and its hard to see quite how he, as opposed to Carl Froch, and especially Glenn Cateley, has managed to get this opportunity to fight for the belt vacated by Matthew Barney. However, he's be given it, is undefeated and is not fighting the greatest opponent.
Tony Dodson burst on the scene two years ago with a shock win over world rated Brian Babosa as a late replacement for Brian Magee. Big things were expected from the then 20 year old fighter. However, a few less convincing displays followed by back to back defeats seem to have dented Dodson's confidence. It also seems increasingly likely that his performance against Barbosa was a one off because he's looked frankly awful recently. A cutter, his recent form recieved some what of a boost last time with a decent stoppage win. Dodson will probably start the favourite as he is signficantly more experienced and hasn't been protected like Foster. However, I have the feeling that cuts will have some bearing and Foster will cause the upset with a cut stoppage around the 8th in a close, scrappy, low standard contest.
Jamie Moore (18-1) vs. Andrew Facey (13-2-1)
(British and Commonwealth Light Middleweight championship).
Two of Britians in form boxers, this fight looks to be the most compelling on paper. Facey is a late opponent, but is bound to be in tip top shape as he only scored his career best win just over a week ago. His awkardness and underated ability has created problems for both Sports Network and Henessey boxing this year. His win over Gilbert Eastman being particularly impressive given Eastman's subsequent form. Perhaps Facey came a little too soon in Eastman's comeback, but for where I was watching it looked like he could do that to Eastman time and time again. Certainly Facey is a deserving challenger.
Manchester's Jamie Moore ripped the Commonwealth belt off Michael Jones in impressive fashion earlier this year (also claiming the vacant British belt). He then showed a new coolness in beating the ever popular "Shogun" Logan in his last defence. He has shown some weaknesses in the past , but appears to have learned from his Scott Dixon defeat. However, as he ever faced a fighter quite like Facey.
Moore will start of as favourite, and it is not difficult to see why. His body punching is of a similar technique of his buddy Ricky Hatton and he has the youth egsuburance and excellent engine room which has seem him climb to nearly the top of the domestic tree. However, in this year of the upset I'm going to go with the Underdog year, just see Facey being the little too awkard and stealling the early rounds, Moore will comeback like a train but Facey will win a controversial decision that I'm sure many will diagree with.
Belfast bill predictions.
Brian Magee (20-0) vs. Hassine Cherifi (34-8-1)
(IBO Supermiddleweight championship).
Brain Magee RSF 10,
this fight should be a carbon copy of the Eastman one
Roy Rutherford (16-1-1) vs. Dazzo Williams (8-2)
(British Featherweight Championship).
i am going for a Dazzo Williams win,
Tony Dodson (15-3-1) vs. Alan Foster (10-0-1)
(Vacant British Supermiddleweight championship)
Tony Dodson will nick this one,
Jamie Moore (18-1) vs. Andrew Facey (13-2-1)
(British and Commonwealth Light Middleweight championship).
what the hell facey wins it
(IBO Supermiddleweight championship).
Brain Magee RSF 10,
this fight should be a carbon copy of the Eastman one
Roy Rutherford (16-1-1) vs. Dazzo Williams (8-2)
(British Featherweight Championship).
i am going for a Dazzo Williams win,
Tony Dodson (15-3-1) vs. Alan Foster (10-0-1)
(Vacant British Supermiddleweight championship)
Tony Dodson will nick this one,
Jamie Moore (18-1) vs. Andrew Facey (13-2-1)
(British and Commonwealth Light Middleweight championship).
what the hell facey wins it
