Sponsored by
Cannonball kid gets ready to fire again
CHRIS Smedley today played down the hullabaloo surrounding promising Sheffield fighter Liam Cameron and stressed: "He is still learning the ropes."
The 19-year-old middleweight has been tipped for stardom after a lightning start to his professional career.
Nicknamed the 'Cannonball', Cameron has dismantled Nottingham's Matt Scriven and Lincolnshire's Ryan Clark in his opening two bouts.
On Saturday, he seeks to make it three on the bounce against Stourbridge welterweight Kevin McCauley, at Sheffield City Hall.
But despite the hype and plaudits Cameron is attracting in the ring, Smedley, his trainer, wants to keep his Manor Park protegee's feet on the ground.
Smedley said: "Liam was absolutely brilliant in his first fight and he won by a country mile in his second but he is still learning the professional game.
"People are talking about him and he is getting lots of attention but we have to be careful.
"He is improving all the time; his defence is good and his hand speed is getting better so he just needs to get experience now.
"Liam is only 19 so he has not fully matured yet and we are not going to rush him. He is something special so when you have something special you have to look after it."
Smedley says Cameron spends his spare time studying the greats of the sport on YouTube when he is not in the gym.
The 2008 ABA champion Cameron has asked if he can start boxing three-minute rounds but Smedley refuses to rush his development.
"We are holding him back a little because he is still learning the ropes," he said. "Liam lives for boxing so we do have to rein him in sometimes.
"He would fight for a British title tomorrow but we are just telling him to be patient - it will come."
Also on Saturday's bill is local debutant Issrar Asif, 20-year-old Sheffielder Faizal Zahid and a Sheffield derby featuring 23-year-old Kyle Whitham and Lee Duncan, 21, at light heavyweight.
n Parson Cross puncher Wayne Reed is seeking "closure" before he begins the next chapter of his fledgling career. The 22-year-old middleweight is scheduled to fight fellow Sheffielder Peter Federenko at the Don Valley Stadium next month.
It was Federenko, 32, who inflicted a first pro defeat on Reed last September. However, Reed only found out he was boxing Federenko a day before the contest!
Reed's revenge-mission has been pencilled in for Sunday March 21 but Federenko has yet to confirm his participation.
Reed said: "Glyn has tried texting and phoning Peter but he has not got back in touch so I don't know whether the fight is still going ahead.
"I am in limbo. I have never been up for a fight so much; I just want to know whether it is going to happen or not. It is like he is trying to back out of the fight.
"I don't see his problem; he has knocked me out before and you would think at 32-years-old that he would want to fight as much as possible.
"If anything, I should be scared of fighting him again after he knocked me out but it seems like he doesn't want to fight me."
Reed, who has sponsors ranging from Cannus Residential to First Aid Medical Services, started sparring in the gym for the clash three weeks ago. "I feel in great shape and believe I can beat him," said Reed. "I feel like this is holding me back, particularly because of the circumstances of the last fight. I want closure. He caught me with a good shot last time. I don't think I would have lost to him had I had six weeks to have trained for the fight."
What do you think? Add your comment below.
JOIN THE STAR READER PANEL: The Star is YOUR newspaper, so tell us what you think about it and what you want to see - CLICK HERE.
Don't miss our daily pull-outs - only in the The Star: Monday Star Sport, Tuesday Class Act; Wednesday Business; Thursday Grassroots; Friday Time Out; Saturday Retro. Subscribe to The Star - CLICK HERE
READ MORE
Subscribe to The Star or Green 'Un
Visit our Matchday Centre for free live coverage of every match
Football headlines. Football gossip. Blades news Owls news Reds news. Millers news. More rugby. More boxing. Sports columnists.
All sport categories
Free E-Mag: Premier League 2009-10 Preview
Watch Premiership highlights, international football, golf, tennis, darts and much more - click here
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Sheffield
Wednesday 08 February 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: -3 C to 0 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: -0 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: South west
