Former B-baller goes for boxing slam dunk
Dollis Hill-based American boxer Emmanuel ‘Manny’ Oshinronde is set for his second UK fight this coming Saturday, the 22nd January, at the Graham Earl promoted ‘Capital Punishment’ event at the York Hall in Bethnal Green, London, which is headlined by the BBBofC Southern Area Super Middleweight title clash between Portsmouth’s Paul Morby and Essex’s Daniel ‘The Slick’ Cadman.
29 year-old Manny will be facing a tough challenge as he will be up against Leicester knockout artist Jahmaine ‘Smasher’ Smyle. Without doubt Manny will have to be on his best form as Jahmaine, who has a 3-1 record, has stopped all but one of his previous opponents.
Manny, from Miami in Florida, originally came to Europe in 2007 as he had a professional basketball contract to play in Italy. Manny spent a season and half playing in Italy but due to a long running knee injury problem, that affected the high level performance he was accustomed to, decided to retire from basketball in 2009 and move to England and return to his first sporting love, boxing.
Following a training session, under the watchful eyes of upcoming young coach Barry Smith at Johnny Eames’ Ultrachem TKO Gym in Canning Town, London, Manny spoke of the upcoming showdown with Jahmaine Smyle. “I’m looking very much to the fight because hopefully it’ll be my first win. My last fight was quite disappointing because I lost, but I really should have won. I had the guy down in the second round but he was saved by the bell. That’s the problem if you don’t put your guy away, he’ll come back and beat ya. I think I took the guy a little bit too lightly and he crept up and bit me in the butt. Plus I had a lot of injuries but don’t feel I can make too many excuses though, when you’re up in the ring you have to be ready.
"This fight, hopefully, will go the way I want it to go, which is win by knockout. So I’m really looking forward to my first win in the UK. Sparring’s been going pretty good. I’ve been sparring Mitchell (Balker) from the TKO Gym. I’ve sparred him a couple of times. He’s a big, strong Cruiserweight. I’ve also sparred a couple of guys at Clinton McKenzie’s gym in South London. Pretty good super-middleweights and light-heavyweights.”
Tickets for the Graham Earl promoted CAPITAL PUNISHMENT at York Hall, Bethnal Green in London on Saturday 22nd January 2011 are priced £35 (unreserved) and £50 (ringside) and are available on-line now at www.tkoboxoffice.com - or for further information call 07960 850645
