Mutley vows to bite back and regain Lonsdale belt by Tom Podmore Nov 26th 2007

Hard-hitting former British champion Young Mutley has vowed to regain the Lonsdale belt at welterweight after he makes his comeback in Walsall on Wednesday night (November 28). The Black Country puncher returns to action over six-threes against durable 48-fight – 19 wins (nine quickly), one draw – Ukrainian-based light-middleweight Vladimir Borovski at the Banks' Stadium (Walsall's football ground) after deciding retirement wasn't something he wanted to do just yet. The scheduled 18-minute welterweight contest will also be his first taste of competitive action since being halted in eight one-sided rounds by Hornchurch's Colin Lynes for the British and European ten-stone titles at the Wolverhampton Civic Hall in July. Mutley had seriously considered throwing the towel in on his eight-year pro career after that dreadful performance on a rain-soaked summer night in the Black Country, which saw him flattened in brutal fashion by an inspired Lynes. However, he decided against it, is moving back up to welterweight and has his eyes fixed on champions Kevin Mcintyre, Ali Nuumbembe and Michael Jennings in the next year. He would also relish settling the score with Scotsman Kevin Anderson. Although he had performed with distinction at light-welterweight in the past, Mutley lacked speed, strength or any snap in his shots when he clashed with Lynes. He was picked off throughout, offered little in way of offence and capitulated under a ferocious attack in the eighth. It certainly wasn't the Mutley, real name Lee Woodley, who had dismissed all-comers in his previous reign of terror at ten-stone between 1999 and 2005. That fighter had looked almost invincible. Future Southern Area boss Jon Honney, Jon Marshall, unbeaten Lee Byrne, Gary Reid (for the vacant Midland Area title), Adam Zadworny, Oscar Hall, Gavin Down and Sammy Smith (for the vacant English belt) had all been mauled by the Mutt's sharp and savage teeth. Only Hall was lucky enough to hear the final bell. But the ferocity that had taken him to those victories – and made him a man to be avoided at light-welter – just wasn't present against the improved Paul Cook-handled Londoner. Mutley had realised this from the opening round and admitted he was worried about getting seriously hurt. The bull-strong Errol Johnson-trained puncher conceded: “I've never felt that bad in my life and I knew I was in trouble in the first round – I couldn't defend myself and I could have got seriously hurt. “I hadn't got any energy at all, I just felt it wasn't me right from the first bell. I had nothing in me and he could have stopped me much earlier than he did. “I could see the punches coming but I couldn't move out of the way to defend myself so it could have been over in the first couple of rounds. “I was even tempted to ask Errol to pull me out of the fight after a couple of rounds but I'm not that type of person – I'd rather have got knocked out than quit. “I didn't want to disappoint all the people who had paid their hard-earned money to come and see me. “But I really think my poor performance was due to the hardness of losing the last bit of weight and over-training,” admitted the First Team-promoted former NABC amateur champion. “I did think of retiring after the Lynes fight and I went a bit wild – going out a lot in Birmingham – but my girlfriend talked me into believing I could win a title again if I stuck at it and went back up in weight. “I know I will have my speed and strength back at welterweight. I will never fight at light-welterweight again. “I'll have to prove to everyone that I'm not finished, that I'm not a shot or over-rated fighter. I know some believe I am. “People think I caught Jennings on a bad day, but I had beaten loads of good men down at light-welterweight and was on the way to beating Kevin Anderson until I tired.” And seeing former opponent Kevin Anderson lose his beloved British title in Scotland on November 2 has made the former Lonsdale belt holder realise he'll have to train harder-than-ever if he wants to regain his belt. His epic British and Commonwealth encounter with Anderson in 2006 saw the West Brom banger get off to the best possible start, decking the tough Fifer in the second. But Kevin, although way behind on the scorecards, started to find success in the ninth and halted an exhausted Mutley in the next. But the 31-year-old former Midland Area, English and British champion believes he is still fresh and talented enough to win back his old belt and get his revenge over the former world-class amateur. “Seeing Kevin Anderson against Kevin Mcintyre on Sky Sports the other week made me think I can become British champion again and that's what I'm going to do,” boasted muscular Mutley, 22-3 (12). “I believe I'm the best welterweight in Britain. I was winning easily when I fought Anderson in Birmingham but I should have gone down and taken the count when he caught me in the tenth, but I didn't and lost. “It's all experience and you learn with every fight, even at 31. “I still feel fresh at the moment because I haven't had too many wars. I think I will probably fight until I'm 35 as long as I look after myself. “Making the weight does get harder as you grow older and you have to eat rabbit food – chicken, fish and vegetables – to make sure you don't put any unnecessary bulk on. “But the weight just drops off me when I get ready to fight at welter.” Lee, by his own frank admission, let his weight balloon after his last defeat – and he tipped the scales at over thirteen-stone at one point – but admitted it wasn't for him. This was reinforced when he realised he would miss out on the chance of a lifetime. Black Country stablemates Dean Harrison (Wolverhampton) and Martin Gethin (Midland Area champion, Walsall), both undefeated, box in Las Vegas on December 7 and Mutley knows, had he been in his normal condition, he could have been there. “Dean and Martin are boxing in Vegas and it will be a career-defining experience for them,” said the mallet-fisted Midlander. “I could have gone, but I was too overweight. To box in Vegas you've got to be at the top of your game and I'd have wanted to be at my best so to put on a show in front of the American's. “It's a shame because they wanted American-style fighters on that card. I'd have loved to have gone over there – in fact, I'd much rather be going over there than fighting in Walsall on Wednesday,” he added with a grin. “But I'm training hard, have been running seven or eight miles a day and started sparring a couple of weeks ago. “I went back to the gym about six weeks ago as they had all been telling me to come back and that's acted as a spur to me. “They want me to get my British title belt back and I want it for keeps this time around.” Borovski is a known dangerman, however, and has crossed swords with the likes of Jamie Moore, Anthony Small and Ali Nuumbembe. Vladimir is also naturally bigger and stronger – a rare position the Midlander finds himself against – so it won't be an easy night. Just ask Lee's stablemate, undefeated Telford light-middleweight Mark Lloyd, who defends his International Masters title in his hometown on Saturday (December 1). Lloyd narrowly outpointed the Ukrainian ironman by a score of 96-94 for the aforementioned middleweight title (vacant) in September, but had to drag himself off the floor in the sixth round to do so. “The bloke was awkward, strong, tough and could seriously crack,” admitted the 9-0 (1) Shropshire plumber. “It proved to be a tough night for me and he should give Mutley a test.” As ever, the local banger, who compiled a 78-12 unpaid slate, is confident of success: “The fight is at welterweight but my opponent is a bit heavier so I'm trying to make sure I'm as strong as possible. “I know he's boxed Kevin Anderson and Jamie Moore so he's got good pedigree and a solid chin – which I'll definitely be putting under scrutiny. “But I've got to win and have got to make a statement to show that I am deserving of a chance to get a crack at the big belts at welterweight. “An impressive performance against Borovski will set me on my way nicely.”

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