Carey looking to upset the Apple Cart in Wolverhampton by Tom Podmore Apr 27th 2008

Baz Carey goes into his four-round clash with Stafford's unbeaten Rob Hunt on Wednesday night (April 30) boosted by a resilient performance in Scotland last month. The Coventry hardman, the only English fighter to have taken undefeated Amir Khan the distance in the professional ranks, meets Hunt, 8-0 (1), on First Team's nine-fight ‘Young Guns' card at the Wolverhampton Civic Hall this week having given Manchester-based Michael Gomez a torrid time over six rounds in Glasgow. Gomez, an Irish-born former British, Commonwealth and WBU champion at super-featherweight, is looking for another shot at major honours after being taken out in six rounds by Leeds' Carl Johanneson in a British title challenge last October. The iron-chinned Midlander gave the charismatic and self-proclaimed Irish-Mexican a tougher-than-expected comeback assignment, however. ‘Bulldog Baz', 37, ploughed forward and rattled the hard-hitting Mancunian on several occasions, surprisingly looking the man with the greater power throughout the crowdpleasing 18-minute battle at the Scottish Exhibition Centre. But, despite a sterling effort against a man who had knocked out current WBO interim super-featherweight champion Alex Arthur in 2003, Carey still lost out by a score of 60-55. Now he takes on popular Hunt, 22, a former kickboxer who has yet to sample the bitter taste of defeat in either the amateur or professional codes (10 fights). The Paul Dykes-handled youngster looks a talent, but he holds little fear for such a worldly-wise performer as Carey, without a win since outscoring Blackpool's Jeff Thomas over six in late 2005 (17 contests ago). “Every round against Gomez was close,” admitted a face-first scrapper who has only been halted three times since he made a losing professional bow against JJ Moore at the Coventry Skydome in 2001. “He never hurt me at any stage of the fight. I also caught him with some terrific shots – shots that got his attention several times. “My confidence is high after the even fight with a former British champion. Hunt is supposed to be a good fighter, but we'll see how he fares against me. I've been in with some good names over the years and I'm not bothered about going on to his promoter's show to face him. “I'm hoping to get the better of Hunt and then get a rematch with Gomez before the summer,” added the 46-fight veteran, boxing on the undercard of undefeated Dean Harrison's eight-round acid test against Stoke's dangerous Gary ‘The Body Snatcher' Reid. And busy promoter Paul (PJ) Rowson, putting on his second show at the atmospheric Wolverhampton Civic Hall during the last three months, said: “Rob will have a real test against Carey, a durable and aggressive fighter who has extended the likes of Amir Khan, Dean Harrison, Scott Lawton and Martin Gethin. “We will know a lot more about Hunt and what he has too look forward to in the future after this contest,” the enigmatic Black Country promoter added. Tickets are available from Paul (PJ) Rowson on 07976-283157, Errol Johnson on 07852-268333 or the Wolverhampton Civic Hall on 0870-3207000.

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