Tony Sims expects George Liddard to next fight in July – and not necessarily in defence of his British middleweight title.
He in March defended his British and Commonwealth titles in an impressive victory over Tyler Denny, after which his promoter Eddie Hearn spoke of plans to see him win the British title outright by making three successful defences.
However Sims, aware not only of the 23-year-old’s potential but also the increased opportunities that exist at 160lbs as a consequence of Janibek Alimkhanuly’s year-long ban for failing a drugs test, believes that his young fighter could be ready for a step up in class.
That Denny was a former European champion perhaps demonstrates the improving Liddard’s promise, and Sims – who also guided retired middleweights Darren Barker and John Ryder to world level – is similarly confident because of his conviction that it is a fight from which he expects Liddard to learn.
Sims more recently led Conor Benn to victory over Regis Prograis at a catchweight of 150lbs and is awaiting news of a fight date for his heavyweight Johnny Fisher, but asked of Hearn’s plans for perhaps the most natural talent in his gym he revealed that he wants to see him tested against his fellow Briton Brad Pauls.
“It’s great to win the British title outright but you’ve got to see what chances are there,” he told BoxingScene. “Aaron McKenna’s fighting for the vacant title against [Etinosa Oliha], so it ain’t the kind of division we’ve seen in the past – sometimes, when the fights are available, you’ve got to take your chance. We’ll just see.
“It’ll probably be July. Watching Brad Pauls beat Shakiel Thompson – that’s the kind of opponent I’d like George to fight next. We tried to do that before Denny came in but he was already booked to fight Shakiel Thompson. That kind of fight again – another experienced fighter – will stand him in good stead. Brad will have a good rating, and George has just entered the IBF [rankings] at 15, so that kind of fight will be a good next step for George.
“It was a good experience fight for George. Tyler Denny knew it was his last real shot, and was in fantastic condition, and he was there to win. He won the fight clearly, but the inside work Denny was doing – holding him on one arm and working with the other, which George needed to pick up on – he learned about that. That was his first 12-round fight, and he had to come back from losing a few rounds as well, which ain’t happened to him before, and he was a southpaw as well – he’d only fought one southpaw before and knocked him out in the first round, so hadn’t been in there with a proper good southpaw. It was all plusses for him. For a 23 year old – he’s fought two good fighters on the spin, Kieron [Conway] and Tyler Denny, and they’ve both been at a higher level than George has fought at before, so he’s had two good wins on the bounce.
“He took a few good body shots. He had him hurt the second or third round; had him hurt again the 11th round. Fair play to Denny – he give it absolutely everything. The last four rounds he looked tired; he’d given it everything. But it was a great learning fight for George, at this stage of his career.”
Before Liddard made his way to the ring that night at London’s Copper Box Arena, Jimmy Sains – another English middleweight fighting out of Sims’ gym – had defeated Derrick Osaze.
After the high-profile departure of Benn to Zuffa Boxing, Matchroom’s stable in the UK is reliant on Liddard, Fisher, Sains, and more, and Sims expects the 25-year-old Sains to be ready to challenge for the British title when the time comes for Liddard to progress.
“It was always gonna be a tough fight – that’s what we wanted,” he said. “Osaze give George hell last year as well, so we knew what kind of fighter he is. Very awkward fighter. Tough fight – Jimmy’s nearly knocked everyone out but it was a tough fight and another learning fight. He spent too long on the ropes; he didn’t tie him up well; Osaze being experienced, he was working inside better. But Jimmy come back into the fight, the last three rounds, and was putting his shots together well. I had him a couple of rounds up at the end but it was another tough experience for him, and something he’ll have to learn.
“Jimmy turned pro a year later than George. Every step that George has taken, Jimmy’s a year after him. I expect George to move away from the British this year and Jimmy to step up to that. That’s what’s happened so far. They push each other. They’re different fighters; George likes fast combinations inside; Jimmy’s a long-range shooter; they’re both totally different; George can learn from Jimmy and Jimmy can learn from George, so it’s a good mix.
“Matchroom have done really good things with the youngsters. If Johnny Fisher fights, they’re all on that. All them young fighters sell tickets. Johnny was supposed to be topping that bill against Jeamie ‘TKV’ [Tshikeva] for the British – the fight fell apart, so Matchroom took a gamble on whether we can sell enough tickets with the show, and they made it work. They done like 4,000 tickets there putting all the youngsters on, so they now know they can put them on at the Copper Box, so we can keep doing them shows, which is a great thing. Doing the small halls just ain’t the same as the big arenas. It’s a good thing Matchroom have built – an Essex stable that sells tickets.”
