Kevin Bennett's title shot confirmed...
Posted: 03 Nov 2003, 11:39
HARTLEPOOL'S Kevin Bennett, coming off a stunning two-round dismissal of Colin Dunne, reaps the reward with a Commonwealth lightweight title challenge to Kenya's Michael Muya in the chief support to the IBO lightweight title showdown between Jason Cook and Argentina's Ariel Olveira this Saturday in Bridgend.
Bennett's two round blastout of Dunne in July was a result that always looked like it would earn him a title shot. "The Dynamo" was dropped twice by the powerful and aggressive Bennett before it was halted and later announced his retirement after a fine career. There was a feeling Dunne was past his best before this fight, but the fact remains he had just lost his WBU lightweight title on a split decision to David Burke, so it still needed Kevin to confirm that Colin was indeed over the hill.
So "Bulldog" Bennett is living up to the promise he showed in his early career when he reeled off nine straight wins before running into the equally powerful Gary Ryder and losing a battle of light-welterweight prospects in six rounds. Bennett persevered in the light-welters, but other crunch defeats at the hands of Colin Lynes and Glenn McClarnon convinced his manager Michael Marsden that he needed to drop down a weight.
“We felt that his losses at light-welterweight were against welterweights who came down," said Marsden, a former pro lightweight, recently. "Whereas now Bennett will have that advantage by him dropping to lightweight."
The 28-year-old Bennett has won two fights in his new division and, with Matchroom Sport behind him, quickly secured that mouthwatering fight with Dunne and finds himself in contention for a proper title.
Little is known about the champion, Muya, who has a record of 9-2 (2) according to the excellent internet boxing records site, BoxRec.com, and won the title in Nairobi earlier this year with a majority decision over Tanzanian Chaurembo Palasa. He had previously outpointed another Tanzanian, Venance Mponji, in an eliminator for the title.
What we do know is that Bennett, 14-3 (6) could prove a real handful at lightweight with his strength and determination and, unless Muya turns out to be exceptional, I can see the Brit proving a bit too dogged for the champion.
Bennett's two round blastout of Dunne in July was a result that always looked like it would earn him a title shot. "The Dynamo" was dropped twice by the powerful and aggressive Bennett before it was halted and later announced his retirement after a fine career. There was a feeling Dunne was past his best before this fight, but the fact remains he had just lost his WBU lightweight title on a split decision to David Burke, so it still needed Kevin to confirm that Colin was indeed over the hill.
So "Bulldog" Bennett is living up to the promise he showed in his early career when he reeled off nine straight wins before running into the equally powerful Gary Ryder and losing a battle of light-welterweight prospects in six rounds. Bennett persevered in the light-welters, but other crunch defeats at the hands of Colin Lynes and Glenn McClarnon convinced his manager Michael Marsden that he needed to drop down a weight.
“We felt that his losses at light-welterweight were against welterweights who came down," said Marsden, a former pro lightweight, recently. "Whereas now Bennett will have that advantage by him dropping to lightweight."
The 28-year-old Bennett has won two fights in his new division and, with Matchroom Sport behind him, quickly secured that mouthwatering fight with Dunne and finds himself in contention for a proper title.
Little is known about the champion, Muya, who has a record of 9-2 (2) according to the excellent internet boxing records site, BoxRec.com, and won the title in Nairobi earlier this year with a majority decision over Tanzanian Chaurembo Palasa. He had previously outpointed another Tanzanian, Venance Mponji, in an eliminator for the title.
What we do know is that Bennett, 14-3 (6) could prove a real handful at lightweight with his strength and determination and, unless Muya turns out to be exceptional, I can see the Brit proving a bit too dogged for the champion.