Quotes from the Midlands Mayhem presser
Queensberry Promotions held a press conference today – October 21 – to officially launch their 'Midlands Mayhem' card featuring six title fights at Arena Birmingham on Saturday November 30, live on BT Sport.
Photos from today's press conference are available via the below link and should be credited to Action Images/Reuters.
Ibstock’s Sam Bowen (15-0, 11KOs) will be well supported when he defends his British Super-Featherweight crown against Belfast’s Anthony Cacace (17-1, 7KOs).
Lerrone Richards (12-0, 3KOs) will make the first defence of his Commonwealth Super-Middleweight title and the vacant British championship is on the line when he meets local boxer Lennox Clarke (19-0-1, 7KOs).
Brilliant South African Zolani Tete (28-3, 21KOs) makes the fourth defence of his WBO World Bantamweight title against Filipino Interim champion John Riel Casimero (28-4, 19KOs).
Swansea’s Chris Jenkins (22-3-2, 8 KOs) risks his British Welterweight championship against mandatory challenger Liam Taylor (21-1, 10 KOs).
Liverpool’s Sam Maxwell (12-0, 10 KOs) defends his WBO European Super-Lightweight championship against Derbyshire’s Connor Parker (12-0, 1KO).Hamzah Sheeraz (9-0, 5KOs) will also be involved in his first title fight.
The undercard features bantamweight starlet Dennis McCann (4-0, 3KOs), Eithan James (1-0), Shabaz Masoud (6-0, 1KO), George Davey (1-0), Nathan Heaney (8-0, 2KOs), Ryan Kelly (14-2, 7KOs) and River Wilson-Bent (5-0, 2KOs)
Here are a selection of quotes from the presser staged at Birmingham City FC:
SAM BOWEN
“I went to watch Anthony when he boxed Martin J Ward because I thought we would meet sooner. He is a good lad and nobody can say I am fighting someone rubbish. I am excited for this one. I want to be busier, but I’ve been injured. If I had boxed Anthony when I was injured in August, he would have beaten me. There are a lot of good fights in the super-featherweight division, but I am only bothered about Anthony.”
ANTHONY CACACE
“This fight was meant to happen twice before and now it is happening. I know he is a good fighter and what he brings to the table. Sam is a hard man, but I can box southpaw or orthodox, move and fight. Can he do that?"
LERRONE RICHARDS
“It is never going to be an easy fight for a British title and you have to find that little bit more to win it and I am expecting a tough fight. I give myself a C-minus for my performance against Tommy Langford, but you will see what I can do next month. Lennox can box a bit and fight. I respect him as a fighter and he will bring his A game.”
LENNOX CLARKE
“Lerrone is a good boxer and I know what he is going to bring. We are six weeks out and I’ll be more than ready. Technically is he a good boxer, but I won’t allow him to do what he wants. I do a lot of tickets. That is why it is in Birmingham and hopefully I get a result. This is a massive opportunity and my chance to make a statement.”
CHRIS JENKINS
“A lot of my recent success is down to my trainer, Gary Lockett. He is more than a coach but also a mentor and friend. I do get cut often, but I just get on with it and don’t panic. I just think, ‘stitches again, here we go.’ I know this will be a hard fight and I have been in camp for two weeks. I am a British level fighter so to win a Lonsdale belt outright is my world title. I need two more defences.”
LIAM TAYLOR
“I’ve been waiting a long tome for this. I’ve been a professional for eight years and this is what I’ve trained for. Chris is a good boxer, skilled and doesn’t have many faults, but that is what you want for a British title challenge. Winning a Lonsdale belt would be special. The British title was my goal when I turned professional.”
SAM MAXWELL
“I got the exposure in my last fight with the KO going viral and people can relate to it. BT Sport still show it and long may it continue. Connor hasn’t lost a round so far and he is a good tidy boxer so I will have to be at my best. Connor doesn’t know how to lose and we will give it our all.”
CONNOR PARKER
“It is fights like this why I box and I cannot wait. Beating Kevin Hooper was big, but this is more. I can hit harder than my record suggests. Sam is really good and he will bring the best out of me. Last time there may have been a blueprint to beat Sam, but it may have been an off night for him until the knockout.’
HAMZAH SHEERAZ
“I am looking forward to fighting on a bill of this magnitude and winning my first title fight. I am heading in the right direction and this fight will be my breakout performance. In two to three years I want to be knocking on the door for world titles.”
SHABAZ MASOUD
“It looks like everybody got a buzz off my last performance. I have always known I was good and I want to show people what I’m about. I have a lot of family in Birmingham and there will be a big turnout.”
DENNIS MCCANN
“I have been boxing since I was five years old and love boxing. I’m a traveller and lived in Birmingham for a while but would still travel to London three times a week for training at Repton. It has been going to plan and I should be stopping the opponents I have. That will continue when I step up.”
Tickets are available now from £40 via Ticketmaster and TheTicketFactory