By Matthew Plumridge: Two rising UK boxing prospects get the chance to test their talent this weekend at the MEN Arena in Manchester, UK. Home town fighter and current WBO belt holder Terry Flanagan (28-0, 11 early) takes on the Argentinian sounding American Diego Magdelano (28-1, 12 early) in an evenly matched lightweight contest.
Flanagan took the belt after slick Jose Zapeda was forced out injured in their vacant title fight in July, so there is no doubt that he will be keen to prove himself a genuine world champion in front of his adoring fans.
Magdelano does possess the tools to disrupt the ascent of the new Mancunian superstar however, having only lost once by marginal decision to WBO Holder Roman Martinez and has certainly been in with the better fighters by my reckoning. It will be interesting to see how Flanagan copes with the Camacho style skill set of Magdelano, though in front of home fans Flanagan starts as marginal favourite with the odds makers.
In another well matched contest, Liam Smith (20-0-1, 10ko’s) takes on recent ESPN Boxcino Tournament champion John Thompson (17-1, 6ko’s), again for the vacant WBO version of the light Welterweight belt. Liam – who is one quarter of the Smith boxing brother clan – has shown recent improvement in his finishing against world rated opponents (5 ko’s on the spin) to earn his shot and does appear to have the edge in both ability and power. But if confidence is to count for anything, they won’t arrive more upbeat than Thompson having taken the ESPN title in May of this year.
A win in the final against Brandon Adams (by knockout no less) has given Thompson a Rocky style chance of redemption, having gone into the tournament off the back of a 2nd round loss to unbeaten Brooklyn native Frank Galarza. The smart money is on Smith, but smart money can sometimes look not so clever half way through a fight!
It’s great to see two World level fights that are evenly matched and provide a chance for all four boxers to take a giant leap forward on the world boxing platform. Talent is great to admire but seeing it fulfilled is the real highlight and I’m expecting two such highlights this weekend; though from which corner of the ring, remains beautifully balanced.
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