Fury stuns McDermott in title win

Heavyweight prospect Tyson Fury claimed the English title with a controversial points victory over champion John McDermott at Brentwood Leisure Centre.

The 21-year-old Manchester fighter was awarded the bout 98-92, which left McDermott, 29, stunned at the result.

Fury put the Essex fighter under early pressure with his solid jab.

But McDermott responded well with a late rally and after 10 rounds felt he had done enough, only for referee Terry O'Connor to hold Fury's arms aloft.

The clash was hyped a real grudge match and a rematch looks to be on the cards after such a close call.

But McDermott's promoter Frank Maloney was left fuming at the result, saying on Sky Sports: "I'm sure I will be called up before the (British Boxing) Board for my behaviour but Terry O'Connor is a disgrace to British boxing for what he's done here.

"Why do I want to be in the business when you're getting robbed? At least Dick Turpin has a mask on when he robs you."

But Fury insisted he had done enough to take the belt, adding: "I deserved it. I worked very hard for that. John was a lot harder than I thought he'd be, all credit to him.

"But I thought I worked the harder throughout the fight and I deserved to win. If he wants a re-match, let's get it on. I will stop him next time."

Pacquiao is 'too quick' for Cotto

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British boxers eye world medals

By Nabil Hassan
Khalid Yafai and Luke Campbell will be the Brits to watch in Milan as the World Championships begin on Tuesday.

They are part of a seven-man squad but there is no Bradley Saunders who broke his left thumb in a training bout.

The British Amateur Boxing Association has set a target of one medal, two fewer than in Chicago two years ago.

"It is a young and inexperienced squad and our target reflects that," BABA performance director Kevin Hickey told BBC Sport.

"But in terms of having boxers who can deliver at this level now then we feel Khalid Yafai and Luke Campbell, who won the European Championships in Liverpool last year, have the necessary experience.

"They have had a taste of boxing at this sort of level, while for the other five it is more of a learning curve.

"To target two medals would be unrealistic but it would be fantastic if we could achieve it."

Tommy Stubbs, Andrew Selby, Thomas Stalker, Scott Cardle and Steve Simmons make up the group.

Stubbs and Yafai, a Beijing Olympian, returned from June's European Union amateur boxing championships in Denmark with gold medals.

And Campbell became England's first European amateur champion for 47 years in November 2008.

Missing out on a place in the squad was light-heavyweight Obed Mbwakongo who was heavily beaten at the EU championships in June and heavyweight Danny Price, who has been dropped from the podium programme because of poor performance.

BABA squad for World Amateur Championships in Milan:

Tommy Stubbs (48kg), Khalid Yafai (51kg), Luke Campbell (54 kg), Andrew Selby (54kg), Thomas Stalker (60kg), Scott Cardle (64kg), Steve Simmons (91kg).

British boxing's next generation

By Nabil Hassan

It is a long road to London 2012, but Britain's boxers begin that journey in Italy this week at the World Championships in Milan.

With the Olympics in London now less than three years away, a young group of seven face their first international test at the 12-day competition which begins on 1 September.

Having tasted European glory over the past year, the GB squad now gets its first opportunity to test itself against the cream of world boxing with Cuba, China and India likely to prove the sternest competition of the 100 nations competing in Italy.

The squad have been putting the finishing touches to their preparations at a training camp in France and are all set to do battle in Milan.

But there is still a lot of hard work to be done before the current GB crop can be considered in the same class as the Beijing group, of who only Bradley Saunders - who is currently injured - and Khalid Yafai remain.

Olympic middleweight champ James DeGale and bronze-medallists Tony Jeffries and David Price have all turned professional.

However, British Amateur Boxing Association (BABA) performance director Kevin Hickey feels the systems are now in place to make Britain as competitive, if not more so, in London 2012.
"It is an early building stage and we have three years to go in terms of the Olympic cycle," Hickey told BBC Sport.

"We are confident that we have the structure and system in place to produce future Olympic gold medallists such as James DeGale in 2012.

"The success through the year to date has been very solid and very promising. The influx of talent we have coming through is making us very confident of good medal return in London."

It is a squad that is three men short of the one that will appear at the Olympics, but BABA officials are determined that they take a team that will be competitive in Milan.

"In terms of numbers it really reflects where we are at this point in terms of filling places for 2012," added Hickey.

"There are some weights that we have not yet got a boxer of the right quality in the programme to give this level of exposure.

"You cannot take chances, especially with the 2012 programme, you are looking for enhancement and progression over the next three years which means if they are not ready they cannot be exposed too early.

"To throw someone in who is not experienced at international level would have a negative impact on their potential of making it to 2012.
So what of the squad?
It includes 20-year-old flyweight Khalid Yafai from Birmingham who appeared at last year's Olympics and who in June won gold at the European Union Amateur Boxing Championships in Denmark.

Yafai was also senior ABA national champion at the age of 17 and is an exciting prospect.

There are also high hopes for Hull's 21-year-old bantamweight Luke Campbell who in 2008 became England's first European amateur champion for 47 years.

And 19-year-old Manchester light-flyweight Tommy Stubbs, who like Yafai won gold in Denmark, is another boxer to keep an eye on.

All three are expected to be in the mix for medals in Milan and Hickey is excited at their chances of glory ahead of 2012.

"Realistically it is early days and this is a very young and inexperienced squad," said Hickey.

"But in terms of having got the necessary experience to be successful in Milan then we have two boxers in Khalid and Luke who can deliver on the world stage.

"Looking at other exciting young talent then I guess Tommy Stubbs in the 48kg category is one for people to look out for.

"He is a character in his own right, he's one eight out of eight bouts this season. He's senior ABA champion and he also won the EU Championships this year.

"Tommy has an unorthodox style, bags of confidence and has a huge character. He may have to move up a weight for 2012, and as far as Milan is concerned he could do something."
Another boxer in the squad who could be competitive in Milan is Liverpool's 25-year-old Thomas Stalker who took silver at the EU Championships, having won the GB Championships in Liverpool in May.

The other members of the team are bantamweight Andrew Selby, light-welterweight Scott Cardle and heavyweight Steve Simmons.

But the squad will be without Saunders, who recently fractured his thumb in a training bout in Dublin.

Hickey's greatest success to date as been the introduction of the three tier squad system that will ensure GB's elite boxers are competitive up until 2012.

The system will be completed by the end of the year and involves the current 10-man podium squad being supported by a similarly sized development squad.

In turn a 10-man feeder squad will come to Sheffield once a month and provide competition for the development group which will then in turn provide pressure on the podium boxers.

It is just one of a number of measures that officials hope will bring rewards in London in three years' time.

Mayweather is fresh for Marquez

Floyd Mayweather is confident there will no ring rust when he returns to action after a long lay-off against Juan Manuel Marquez on 19 September.

The former five-weight world champion, 32, is back after retiring in December 2007, after he beat Ricky Hatton.

"I feel fast, strong and my timing is there," said the American.

"I feel the same way as before I left. Actually I feel a little better. I think the break helped because I haven't had a break since 1987."

Mayweather, who has won all of his 39 fights with 25 knockouts, faces the formidable Marquez for The Ring welterweight title at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
And Mayweather said maintaining his unbeaten record had been the key motivating factor in preparing for the fight.

"When you go out there [against a fighter] with an undefeated record, there is no pressure on these fighters because they have nothing to lose," he said.

"If Marquez gets beat in 12 rounds or he gets knocked out, they are still going to love him in his country because he had the chance to face the best. They will say: 'You lost but you lost to the best'.

"But in the US it doesn't work like that so we have to work that much harder to stay on top.

"If I win, it's normal. If a guy gives me a tough fight or even comes close to winning, that's abnormal. Everybody expects me to dominate.

"It's extremely important for me to go out there to perform well and dominate.

"I've got to go out there and be smart, be intelligent and listen to my uncle Roger [Mayweather, Floyd's trainer]. If I do that, we will come out 'A' OK."

Mexican Marquez, 36, is a former three-weight world champion, but has only ever fought as high as lightweight before.

However, he has 50 wins from 55 professional encounters, with 37 knockouts, and has drawn once and lost narrowly to Filipino superstar Manny Pacquiao.

"He is Mexico's numero uno," said Mayweather. "He's one hell of a fighter with over 50 wins and champion in more than just one weight class.

"Believe me, Marquez is not going to lay down. There's going to be blood, sweat and tears on 19 September."