McDermott looks for quick Finn-ish by Tom Podmore Oct 24th 2007

Dudley's Darren McDermott tops an eight-fight bill in the Black Country on Thursday night (October 25) when he looks to claim his third professional title, the vacant International Masters middleweight strap, against Finnish veteran Kai Kauramaki. First Team (Paul (PJ) Rowson and Errol Johnson), the number one promotional outfit in the Midlands, promote the value-for-money card. After having his last seven outings in his personal fortress of the Dudley Town Hall, undefeated ‘Macca' goes five miles up the road to box in a ten-rounder at the 1,600-seater Wolverhampton Civic Hall. McDermott enters the fight as firm favourite, but will certainly not go into it feeling complacent – knowing he can ill-afford a slip-up with a shot at the British crown almost certain for next year. The Black Country stylist convincingly won a British title eliminator in February and now hopes to get a crack at the belt held by Birmingham's Wayne Elcock, who challenges for the IBF world title on December 8, in early 2008. The 29-year-old former British Masters middleweight champion told the Dudley News: “Wayne Elcock did exceptionally well to beat Eastman and win the coveted Lonsdale belt. "I thought he was going to burn himself out but credit to him for keep going against a very experienced opponent. "Now I'm next in line to meet Wayne or fight for the vacant title if he wins the IBF belt. "I cannot wait for the British title shot and don't mind who I end up facing as I'm confident I'd beat anyone put in front of me.” But first he must dispose of the man from the Harjavalta area of Finland, a solid protagonist who went the distance with former European champion Amin Asikainen in a Finnish title challenge in 2003. Although he's the wrong-side of 39, Kai holds a easy-looking ten-round win over Poland's Andrejz Butowicz – the Katowice southpaw who was stopped in three one-sided rounds by McDermott last year – for the ludicrous UBO Intercontinental title in January. (UBO?  Ye Gods, that's a new one even for me! - Ed.) But he's probably best known on these shores (his only appearance in Britain, by the way) for his three-round knockout loss to mallet-fisted Anthony Small, the flashy, ultra-confident Deptford light-middleweight, at the York Hall in 2006. And while the muscled Finn owns a patchy and deceiving 13-12 (4) professional ledger, it is noticeable he's never had an easy night. As well as Small and Asikainen, the 6'1 European has swapped leather with Lorenzo Di Giacomo, Jozsef Nagy and recent IBF middleweight title challenger Khoren Gevor. Kai is certainly no mug and appears to be fairly sturdy; he'll need to be against all-action McDermott, whose aggressive fists will pump into his head and torso throughout the scheduled 30 minutes. And the Black Country Bodysnatcher sent a chilling message to the 25-bout fighter known as Ironman. He said: “I take little notice of nicknames but I all I would say is he better hope his ribs are made of iron when he steps into the ring with me. “I've just turned 29 and I feel like it's now time for me to step it up because I'm about to reach my prime.” However, the Ronnie Brown-advised local's confidence isn't based on pre-fight bravado. The popular gas fitter is punching with more venom with every fight that passes – stopping six of his last seven before the final bell has tolled. Will the former European Union title challenger be the seventh? The Dudley ticket-seller's last outing saw him make a successful second defence of his Midland Area title against fellow-Black Country puncher Conroy McIntosh, halting him inside six minutes at a cauldron-like Dudley Town Hall in June. Black Country pride was at stake (McIntosh coming from nearby Wolverhampton) but McDermott kept things long before stepping in and tattooing the iron-fisted puncher with long, accurate rights. Terry O'Connor was forced to intervene before the end of the second. Not many can get past those long piston-like arms. Educated in his approach, Darren, 13-0-1 (8), uses his long jab well and, as you would expect from his bodysnatcher ring moniker, digs the body particularly adeptly. His lean 6'1 frame, workrate and incredible stamina make him a hard man to get the better of. Solid Leeds middleweight Darren Rhodes was worn-down in five by an incessant and non-stop body-bombardment in a British eleven-stone-six title eliminator earlier in the year. And whilst the Dean Powell-managed box-fighter may not be a one-punch knockout artist, the sheer volume of punches have seen eight men – including British title challenger Andy Halder, Michael Monaghan and former world title challenger Howard Clarke – go home with stoppage losses on their records. Expect Kauramaki to be the ninth. Rob Hunt has the biggest test of his short pro career when he boxes against Northampton's former amateur star Leonard Lothian, 4-2-2 (0), trained by the Ingles in Sheffield. This is an excellent, ahead-of-schedule bit of matchmaking from Errol Johnson. Undefeated at 6-0 (1), Stafford ticket-seller Hunt – a stand-up boxer with a hard left jab, good footwork and power, especially in his long right – has impressed with his mature performances and recently sparred with Scott Lawton. The Paul Dykes-trained ten-stone fighter, however, meets an awkward stylist who has had eight fights in only seven months and is being pencilled in for a shot at the Southern Area title early next year. Lothian was one of Kingsthorpe ABC's biggest stars, winning the NABC National title in 2000 and represented England Schoolboys. He also won the Midland ABA title in 2003 by beating Triumph's James Flinn – rated number two in England at the time. This intriguing four-rounder could easily go either way. Nineteen-year-old lightweight Scott Evans, the first person ever to turn pro from Halesowen ABC, makes his paid bow against five-fight Brummie Amir Nadi, a former unpaid performer for Birmingham Irish ABC. Jay Morris-trained Evans, based in Hagley, compiled a stellar 19-6 amateur log and knows the meaning of hard graft – fitting his training around helping his dad run markets around the Black Country. "It's going to be difficult (fighting professionally) and I'm fully aware of that and as yet I haven't felt nervous just excited about showing what I can do,” said Scott of his impeding debut. Wolverhampton's Dean Harrison, 8-0 (1), goes over six-threes against sturdy Ukrainian war-horse Rakhim Mingaleev, competing in pro fight number 84 and making his thirty-ninth appearance on these shores. Unbeaten Telford stylist Tristan Davies, 10-0 (0), the former Midland Area lightweight boss, boxes in a six-threes against durable Birmingham banger Jason Nesbitt, much better than his 7-74-2 (5) ledger would suggest. Wolverhampton featherweight Lyndsey Scragg, 2-0 (1), a former ABA champion and England International amateur for Wednesbury ABC, has been sparring with Jane Couch ahead of her first six-twos with Ukrainian debutant Olga Michenko. Unbeaten Wolverhampton middle Rob Kenney, 3-0-1 (0), meets Rotherham's Paul Royston, 2-8 (2), and Brierley Hill light-heavy Richie ‘The Blade' Collins, 1-0-1 (0), fights 24-bout Nottingham-based scrapper Dave Pearson.

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