Destiny awaits Jason Booth?
One of British Boxing's most heartwarming stories of recent years may get its ultimate happy ending on Saturday when Nottingham's Jason Booth takes on classy Canadian Steve Molitor for Molitor's IBF world title at super-bantamweight.
Booth, a recovering alcoholic who has paid his dues in life as well as in the Boxing ring finally gets his chance to put the cherry on the cake of what has fast become in recent times a career, and more importantly a life, he can be proud of.
In a fight which was originally scheduled for July but is happening now due to an injury to the champion, expect to hear Booth get fantastic support from a 2,000 strong Houghton-Le-Spring crowd at the atmospheric East Rainton Meadows Arena on the outskirts of Sunderland.
Booth, a classy fighter with lovely boxing skills will have to box the boxing fight of his life to pull this off, but is not without a chance. Unbeaten in eight since dropping a unanimous decision to Hackney slickster Ian Napa, Booth has picked up British and Commonwealth titles on the way to beating good operators in the likes of Matthew Marsh and Michael Hunter.
The Hunter fight in particular showed just how Indian this summer has been in his career as Booth systematically broke the Hartlepool man down for an impressive stoppage win.
As mentioned, Booth has lovely boxing skills, decent dig and the majority of the last 18/24 months has been in the prime of his boxing life. Last time out however, some feel he was a little fortunate to beat Matthew Marsh, a repeat of that showing would surely see the Nottingham man beaten comfortably by what is it has to be said is quite a formidable foe in Molitor.
Molitor, known best for also mauling Michael Hunter on these shores in 2006, is a very classy fighter and hits harder than his KO percentage would suggest. Beaten only once by the freakishly tall for a super-bantam Celestino Caballero (KO 4), Molitor has otherwise built up a solid resume with good wins over solid opposition.
Molitor will it would seem have all the physical advantages in this fight. Bigger, remember Booth was at one point a flyweight, a longer reach and, on the face of it, equal if not better techical skills than Booth. The Canadian world champion also has a solid resume and is proven in world class at this weight (8st 10lbs).
The worry maybe is that this chance has come about 6/12 months too late for Booth and the image of his struggles against Marsh last time out do linger. The alternative view is that Booth struggled to 'get up' for that fight and has emotion because of his well documented problems, home turf and fate on his side. You also have to look at Ricky Burns to see what can be achieved following the Scot's superb upset victory over Roman Martinez to capture the WBO super-featherweight crown seven days ago.
However, fate does not tend to win boxing matches and I can just see Molitor being just a little bit too classy, too skilled, too strong and just too good for Booth. Expect the Canadian to start slow but take over in the second half of the fight to win either by stoppage around the tenth or by a unanimous decison.
The undercard of this Frank Maloney show sees a mixture of domestic level fighters, fighters with points to prove and local talent looking to make an impression.
Sunderland Olympian Tony Jeffries looks to get his career back on track after a semi-disasterous night last time out where, after misjuding how many rounds he had to fight, he managed to hang on for an eight-round draw against tricky journeyman Michael Banbula.
Jeffries looks to have been given a decent chance to banish that night to the memory banks by taking on Sheffield's Carl Wild. I foresee Jeffries starting fast, wanting to make a statement and believe he should force the stoppage inside three rounds.
Banishing demons is very much the theme for Birtley Prizefighter winner Jon-Lewis Dickinson who lost his unbeaten record last time against Tyrone Wright, Dickinson having to be stopped due to a grotesquely swollen eye.
Originally Dickinson was to have had the opportunity for revenge against Wright but now faces Michael Turba. Turba, essentially a light heavyweight should prove to be too small for Dickinson and I would expect Dickinson to win by stoppage in the early part of the fight.
British Featherweight champion Martin Lindsay, who is said to be probably fighting for world honours within 12 months has what looks to be a stay busy test against Belarussian lightweight Yauheni Kruhlik, who should provide a decent test in terms of rounds for Lindsay. Lindsay on points.
Birtley light-heavy and of course brother of Jon-Lewis, Travis Dickinson, again looks to have been matched with another tricky customer in Shon Davies. On the heels of fights against Hastings Rasani and Jamie Ambler it would appear there is no shortage of confidence in the Birtley puncher, especially for a man with only six pro fights under his belt.
Look for Dickinson to want to make a statement after two recent points wins, a stoppage win would be impressive against Davies and I would not rule out a stoppage around the fourth.
One to watch could be debutant Glen Foot, local fighter recently signed to Maloney who starred in a much 'youtubed' ABA final last time out.
Other local fighters on the bill include Martin Ward, Gary Fox, George Watson and Kirk Goodings in what should again be another exciting night of boxing for North East fight fans.
