Rees-Mezaache on 3/23: Gavin hoping to get a shot against Burns next

By Boxing News - 03/14/2012 - Comments

Image: Rees-Mezaache on 3/23: Gavin hoping to get a shot against Burns nextBy Sean McDaniel: EBU lightweight champion Gavin Rees (35-1-1, 16 KO’s) will be making his second title defense of his European Boxing Union title on March 23rd against the tough Anthony Mezaache (21-6-3, 6 KO’s) a the Clichy la Garenne, Hauts-de-Seine, France. The 31-year-old Rees really needs to get this win to keep alive his hopes of getting a world title shot against WBO lightweight champion Ricky Burns. Reeds also is interested in facing Anthony Crolla, John Murray and Kevin Mitchell.

Rees said “I would love to fight Ricky Burns this year. There are other big UK fights out there too with John Murray, Anthony Crolla and Kevin Mitchell and I think they are cracking contests.”

Those fights are certainly doable but it’s the Burns fight that Rees really wants. Ranked #14 by the WBO, Rees has a pretty good chance of getting a shot against the 28-year-old Burns when he makes an optional title defense. However, Rees is going to have to wait a while because Burns will likely be facing Mitchell next in the summer in a big money fight. Rees can’t compete for the interest that a fight between Mitchell and Burns will generate.

Rees, a former WBA World light welterweight champion, lost his world title to Andriy Kotelnik in a 12th round TKO loss in March 2008. Rees hasn’t lost since then in his last nine bouts, winning eight of them and getting a technical draw in his last fight against Derry Matthews after Matthews broke his nose during a head-butt i the 4th round.

Rees could have a lot of problems with Mezaache because he’s got an excellent jab and he’s a superb boxer. That could be a really tough fight for Rees. He’s not going to be able to overpower this guy, and with the fight being in France, Rees could end up losing his title on March 23rd unless he fights the perfect fight.

The 5’7″ Rees would likely be too small against the 5’10” Burns. It would be good for Rees to get a title shot, but he’d be giving away a lot of size in height and weight against Burns and it might be too much for him.



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