Boxing News – June 27, 2019

34 lBOXING NEWSlJUNE 27, 2019 http://www.boxingnewsonline.net

PREVIEWS

★★★★ WHOLE SHOW

Photo: ACTION IMAGES/PETER CZIBORRA

TRUE CHAMP

On returning home, Walsh could have

become despondent and felt sorry for

himself. He could have taken some time

off and emerged in a different weight class.

But he did none of these things. Instead,

the 33-year-old rebounded seven months

later with another stoppage win in defence

of his British title, this time against Ireland’s

Marco McCullough, before threatening

the unbeaten record of Isaac Lowe last

February. Walsh and Lowe

battled to a draw at the

Manchester Arena and

both felt they were unlucky

not to win.

Walsh then defended

his Lonsdale Belt for a

fifth time, edging Reece

Bellotti, another highly

touted up-and-comer, in

December. It was a tough,

gruelling affair, as well as

a close one, but Walsh’s

composure and experience

over the 12-round distance ensured he

stayed one step ahead of his challenger

throughout.

His next foe, Paulin, a southpaw from

Edinburgh, Scotland, has hardly put a foot

wrong so far as a four-year pro. Unbeaten

in 12 fights, he won the Scottish Area

featherweight title in 2017, outpointing

fellow prospect Stephen Tiffney over 10

rounds, but, ominously, this remains the

standout win on a record comprising no

names of note.

Perhaps this will be his breakout

moment. Certainly, Paulin, now 28, is

presumably mature enough, both physically

and mentally, to cope with the step up in

class. He is also in need of being tested, if

only to discover how good he is and how

good he can become.

The problem he faces on Friday,

however, is that Walsh, 23-2-2 (11), has

become quite the expert at stripping away

the ambition of unbeaten prospects and

highlighting the gulf in class between

someone aspiring to

become a champion and

someone already there.

He has used setbacks to

smooth his rough edges

and develop fresh tricks

and should, providing he

doesn’t suddenly grow old

on the night, be skillful

enough to outpoint Paulin

and keep hold of his title.

Also on the card,

a 10-round super-

lightweight battle of Josh

Taylor victims sees Ohara Davies, 18-2

(14), receive a decent test in the form of

Miguel Vasquez, 41-7 (15), a one-time IBF

lightweight champion. Both could do with a

win to help forget some patchy recent form

but Davies, in particular, will be eager to get

back to winning ways following a 12-round

defeat to Jack Catterall last October. Hard

one to call, but Davies, if he can get his

mind right, is the pick to win a close

encounter on the cards.

THE VERDICT A good show at the

Mecca of small-hall boxing.

CROMER featherweight Ryan Walsh, one

of Britain’s underrated craftsmen, defends

his British featherweight title against

unbeaten Lewis Paulin at York Hall,

Bethnal Green this Friday ( June 28). MTK

Global promote with iFL TV broadcasting in

the UK and ESPN+ in the USA.

Much like his gifted brother, Liam,

Ryan has flown under the radar for the

majority of his 11-year professional career

but remains popular among the “Farmy

Army”, his loyal Norfolk fanbase, and a

well-schooled operator at domestic and

European level.

In fact, since losing a British and

Commonwealth featherweight title fight

against Lee Selby in 2013, Walsh has

crushed the hopes of several prospects

and contenders and become a very hard

man to beat. In 2015, he outscored Samir

Mouneimne to win his current title and

then stopped Darren Traynor and James

Tennyson the following year to retain the

belt. Both fights ended in the fifth round

and highlighted Walsh’s ability to not only

outbox opponents but break them down

with spiteful counters and body shots.

After that, in December 2016, Walsh

traded up his British title for a shot at the

European belt. He ventured to Denmark

to face undefeated Dennis Ceylan, a Dane

who has mixed with some world class

fighters and generally wins in Denmark,

and came up short when, after 12 rounds,

the judges’ scorecards announced a split

decision in favour of the home fighter.

MY BELT:

Walsh is into his

fourth year as

British boss

Walsh is a

long-reigning

British king

who shows no

fear against

young

contenders,

writes

Elliot Worsell
RYAN HAS

FLOWN

UNDER THE

RADAR BUT

REMAINS

POPULAR