Cello aims to have Samuels dancing to his tune this time

Cello Renda has vowed to exact revenge over Paul Samuels when they meet again just eight weeks after their explosive first encounter on Hatton Promotions’ first show of 2010 at the Altrincham Leisure Centre this Friday. This rematch at middleweight is optimistically scheduled for eight rounds.

 

In November, the vulnerable bangers engaged in a Hagler-Hearns style shoot-out inside Stoke’s Fenton Manor Sports Complex which saw Samuels down in the opener, both fighters hit the deck simultaneously in round two after landing counter left hooks before Samuels rallied to stop Renda in the third.

 

“I think I’d buy a ticket to see this fight if I could,” joked Renda before lamenting his own tactical naivety which he believes led directly to his loss. “I fought totally the wrong fight against Samuels last time. It became a toe-to-toe war and you could have flicked a coin to see who was going to win. In the end it came down to who had the better chin which was a huge mistake,” conceded Renda.

 

The Peterborough fighter’s recollections of the bizarre double knockdown in round two are somewhat hazy.

 

“I remember seeing from the corner of my eye that he was down before I realised that I was on the floor as well. It didn’t really register with me at the time and I thought ‘what am I doing down here?’ Having watched the tape my knockdown was more of a stumble and I was up at two or three. I felt fine and certainly didn’t need the (mandatory) eight count to recover. Samuels was really hurt though and he only just beat the count. The bell definitely saved him,” said Renda.

 

The minute’s respite enabled Samuels to blow away the cobwebs and launch a relentless attack which left a shell-shocked Renda trapped on the ropes prompting referee Terry O’Connor to intervene 37 seconds into round three.

 

“I appreciate that referees have a hard job to do but I thought the stoppage was a bit premature. I was getting caught with stupid shots on the ropes but I felt I was defending myself and was waiting for him to punch himself out when the referee stopped it,” argued Renda.

 

“I don’t know where he found the energy from because he was absolutely knackered at the end of round two. He was doing some push-ups in the ring afterwards but don’t let that fool you, he was definitely tired. Full credit to Samuels though and there’s no animosity between us. He knows the game inside out and he used his greater experience to beat me. He’s not the hardest puncher I’ve fought but he’s quick and he hits hard.”

 

After suffering the eighth loss of his topsy-turvy 27-fight career (18 wins, 11 by KO with 1 draw), Renda has vowed to undertake a more disciplined approach to future contests, starting with his return against Samuels.

 

“The good thing is I didn’t really lose anything against Samuels but I gained so much more in defeat. It made me realise that I need to use my boxing skills more and establish my jab and then the knockouts will come anyway,” figured Renda.

 

“I didn’t really learn anything by knocking out Sam Horton (in two rounds in a British middleweight title eliminator in September) and when you’re a big puncher like me there is the temptation to just go looking for the knock out. The irony is that of the previous opponents I’ve stopped they all happened by accident as I wasn’t trying to stop them.”

 

In addition to showing greater maturity, Renda also believes his youth and superior fitness levels will ultimately carry him to victory against the 36-year-old Samuels.

 

“I’m extremely fit and have been going for six mile runs every day despite the snow and ice so there’s no way he’s going to be fitter than me. I’ve just got to pace myself this time and realise that I’ve got eight rounds to do it so it’s a not a race (the rematch is set for eight rounds, not ten).”

 

As much as I wanted to believe the likeable Renda, it seems almost inevitable that this rematch will quickly degenerate into an all-out war as soon as one of them is tagged with a decent shot and the red mist descends. Renda has a cunning plan, however.

 

“I’ve been telling myself to approach this fight like a football match. If Bolton score a goal against Man United it doesn’t mean that they’re automatically going to go on and win the match. The same applies to boxing. If I get caught by a good shot, it’s just one shot, it doesn’t mean I have to go crazy and start going toe-to-toe,” reasoned Renda.

 

Still only 24, the Peterborough puncher remains a work in progress having turned pro in 2004 with no previous amateur experience. After winning many admirers en route to his gallant loss to Martin Murray in the final of the inaugural middleweight Prizefighter tournament in November 2008, Renda has since signed a promotional deal with Hatton Promotions. He is hoping that securing victory over Samuels will lead to a British title shot in 2010.

 

“Being with the Hattons is great because it means I no longer have to take fights at short notice. I’ve been matched tough throughout my career and was often taking fights at two weeks, one week or even 24 hours notice which accounted for many of my defeats,” revealed Renda.

 

“I know I’ve got the power to beat any middleweight or super-middleweight in Britain. I’d love to fight (British middleweight champion) Darren Barker. He’s got some world class boxing skills but his chin seems susceptible. He’s been down before, in fact Paul Samuels put him down, so I could do the same if I caught him.”

 

“If I can’t get a title shot at middleweight I’ll happily go up to super-middle because I’m finding it harder to make 11st 6lbs (the middleweight championship limit). I’d like to fight (British super-middleweight champion) Paul Smith again who I’ve been sparring recently (Smith stopped Renda in six rounds when they met for the English middleweight crown in March 2008),” added Renda.