Bendall drinking at the Last Chance Saloon by Tom Podmore Jun 13th 2008

If Steve Bendall was knocking back his final shot of whiskey in the last chance saloon before his Commonwealth title fight with Barnet's Darren Barker in February – a contest he would go on to lose – then the Coventry fighter only has a few drips left at the bottom of his glass ahead of his title bout next week. The skilful portsider meets undefeated banger Paul Smith for the Liverpudlian's English middleweight title, a ten-rounder on the undercard of Amir Khan's Commonwealth lightweight title defence against Manchester's chin-or-be-chinned Michael Gomez at Birmingham's National Indoor Arena on June 21, and knows a loss will mean no more chances. But he is positive that this is an opportunity he is capable of grabbing with both of his cultured fists. Although seemingly five rounds behind in the 12-round bout with Barker earlier this year, the former British, Commonwealth and European title challenger, who was sent crashing to the deck in the opening three minutes at the historic surroundings of London's historic York Hall, claims he was starting to get the better of the much-touted North Londoner. He thinks that Barker, a former Commonwealth Games gold medallist who completed the Commonwealth symmetry with a 12-round decision over undefeated Aussie Ben Crampton last year, was starting to tire when the cut right eye brought the curtain down on his evening. The former English champion, 28-4 (14), admitted: “The Barker fight hasn't knocked my confidence because the fight was turning my way just before I got caught. I could feel him starting to blow a bit and slow from the sixth. “There's no disgrace in losing to Barker because he's a good fighter, but I was frustrated because I was just getting on top when I got cut.” Steve, who was undefeated after his first 21 professional outings before running into his old training partner, Plymouth banger Scott Dann, for the British title (stoppage in six rounds), continues: “We probably gave him the first three rounds but I was definitely getting into it. He started to slacken after a good start, I was becoming stronger and we always knew that would be the case. “But the clash of heads was unfortunate. It was an accident but there is nothing you can do about it now,” he reflects, not wanting to take anything away from the younger man's showing. “The fight was going exactly the way I thought it would. We knew he would come out fast but then slow. I was starting to show him what I was capable of, starting to show him what I know from my long professional career,” said a brave and willing southpaw who fought at the 1995 European Championships. “He is a good, skilful lad and full credit to him, but we were just warming up and the strength was starting to come out of him.” And while Smith is a skilful and measured fighter himself, a former 2002 Commonwealth Games silver medallist and England regular who lost close ones to unbeaten pros John Duddy, Andre Dirrell and Jean Pascal in the vest, his one-punch power is what Bendall has to be most wary of. Steve, although capable of taking a fair amount of stick, has always had a habit of dropping his hands whilst still in range and carrying his chin too high – making him susceptible to cuts around his paper-thin eyebrows. But while all of his losses have come by stoppage, albeit whilst upright and still trying to make a fight of it, he takes a good shot. Smith, however, seems to be dangerous at all times. Peterborough puncher Cello Renda had edged himself into an early lead for the vacant English 11st 6lbs title last time out (02 Arena, March) before being spectacularly flattened in the sixth. Durable Dean Walker, in a match for the vacant Central Area title, was also starched (three rounds) and Alexander Polizzi was done in eight for a vacant International belt. The confident former Rotunda unpaid performer also holds three eye-catching one-round wins over durable men in Warley's Howard Clarke, a former IBF world title challenger, Walsall's Jason Collins and Yorkshireman Rob Burton, who was cut in half with a beautiful hook to the body. Ironman Hussain Osman was also sent home with a stoppage loss on his record, again due to a crippling body punch. But it seems that the hard-hitting champion, famed for his appearance on the last series of The Contender and for his laid-back (some would call it lazy) approach in the ring, really raises his game for the title fights. Still, Bendall, the courageous Errol Johnson-managed southpaw, isn't at all perturbed about the daunting challenge that lies ahead in nearby Birmingham. He admits he hasn't seen much of his fellow Englishman, but doesn't think that will be a problem: “I haven't seen a great deal of him,” he candidly confessed. “I know he's powerful, strong and can whack, but I know it's a fight I can win when I'm focused and prepared. “He definitely isn't indestructible either,” reasoned the confident Coventry challenger. He's right. Buddy McGirt-trained Smith, with 23 paid fights (13 stoppages) behind him but still only 25, was rattled by former British Masters champion Renda, stunned by Pole Polizzi and sent spiralling to the canvas by a mallet-fisted common denominator, Wolverhampton's short and muscular dangerman Conroy McIntosh, just over two years ago. Four months after the box-puncher from Liverpool laboured past McIntosh at the Barnsley Metrodome, earning a close but deserved 77-76 vote from referee Durand that also saw Conroy downed, the former Triumph ABC amateur put in a better showing. He controlled the action, dropped and then widely outpointed the same mallet-handed Black Country banger over six rounds (59-54). Bendall sees that as better form and an indication of what he can do. However, the 34-year-old Tile Hill challenger had also done a better job on McIntosh than Darren Barker, who was felled twice before getting up, steering things his way and halting the game Midlander in the seventh of an eight-rounder in July of the same year (2006). He is experienced and intelligent enough to know that formlines mean very little in boxing. “This is probably my last chance,” concedes a fighter whose losses have all come against good men: Birmingham's British 11st 6lbs champion Wayne Elcock, the current European middleweight champion, Germany's Sebastian Sylvester, and the aforementioned Dann and Barker. “I need to take opportunity this and get myself back in the picture. “Elcock defends his British title against Darren McDermott the night before and I want to be involved in an all-Midlands scrap for the Lonsdale Belt. Wayne knows it wasn't the real me when I defended my English title against him,” continued Bendall, stopped in eight one-sided rounds by the Shard End-based former IBF title challenger in December 2006,” and I'd love another chance to prove it. “But I have to dispose of Smith before I can start thinking about fighting for other titles.”

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Bendall drinking at the Last Chance Saloon Jun 14th 2008, 07:57:54 by zzutak How many more undeserved tittle shots can one man get ?? Bendall the new John Ashton ..