Johanneson holds the aces in all West Yorkshire title showdown by Paul Concannon Nov 3rd 2006

Barnsley's Metrodome will, this Friday night, play host to what boxing fans hope will be an early fireworks display when Leeds' British super-featherweight champion Carl Johanneson makes the first defence of his title against Bradford's unbeaten ‘Fire' Femi Fehintola. Johanneson, nephew of former Leeds United legend Albert Johanneson, won the title back in July with an exciting stoppage over Billy Corcoran in London. Carl began his professional career in the USA, with his first 16 bouts all taking place there, during which time he fought a former Olympian in Koba Gogoladze and an ex ‘world' champion, Harold Grey. His heavy hands, coupled with an aggressive, methodical style have carried him to a won-lost-drawn record of 24-2-0 with 17 stoppages. Having relocated back to Leeds in early 2005, Johanneson, 28, who now trains under the tutelage of Rick Manners, has won his last six bouts inside the distance. He has earned a reputation for allowing his fighting to speak for itself. His jab is solid and he is known for hard, pinpoint combinations to both body and head. The systematic destruction of London's Corcoran in July caught the attention of some hardened boxing observers. Faced with a partisan crowd and a dangerous opponent, Johanneson showed steely determination to hunt down his Wembley co-challenger, walking through solid counters to deliver a clinical beating in picking up the then vacant title in the fourth. With that in mind the general consensus that Friday's showdown may have arrived early for Fehintola is difficult to debate. The Bradford man's unbeaten 14-0-0 record, while statistically impressive, has largely been compiled against journeymen, which while being a normal enough route for a prospect at Fehintola's career stage, is hardly ideal preparation for 12 rounds against Johanneson. Another strike against the Bradford man is an apparent lack of power, with all but one of his victories being on points. Against that, Fehintola is elusive, quick of hand and foot and a neat, accurate combination puncher. Femi, 24, does have a solid amateur background, being a former British champion in the unpaid ranks. Fehintola trains under the canny and diligent gaze of Richard Poxon at fight academy and his current stable-mates include ‘world' champions Clinton Woods and Ricky Hatton. There is no doubt the challenger enters the ring with plenty of confidence, “It's going to be a wicked fight – I expect a tough first six rounds but I feel I'm going to take over late and win on points or by late stoppage – I will be British champion tomorrow,” he told us. The two men know each other well, having sparred many rounds together. Each admits the sessions were competitive, but sparring and fighting are two different matters. The champion's advantage in power, strength and big-fight experience seem a big hurdle this early in the challenger's career. While his undoubted physical gifts will likely cause the Leeds man problems early on, and it's not out of the question the young challenger could tear up the script, it seems realistic to assume the precise, heavy punches of the champion will begin to take a toll from about the third round, with Johanneson inflicting enough damage to retain somewhere between the fourth and sixth rounds, an assessment clearly shared by the Leeds man, "Sparring is one thing, but on Friday I am going to win in style,” he said.

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