Veteran Jamali giving it one final go on Friday by Tom Podmore Jan 23rd 2008

Birmingham's Hamed Jamali goes into his latest comeback at the Holiday Inn on Friday night (January 25) with the knowledge that defeat will spell the end of his big-time aspirations and probably bring the curtain down on his stop-start six-year career. Jamali returns to competitive action for the first time in 16 months when he squares up to 29-year-old Sale banger Mark Nielsen, 6-2 (2), in a six-twos on Birmingham-based Pugilist Promotions (Jon Pegg and John Costello) second professional show this week. It's a 50/50 fight between two men who've suffered back-to-back defeats in recent times, albeit in decent company. Hamed suffered setbacks to hard-hitting former ABA champ Dan Guthrie and current British Masters middleweight boss Cello Renda. Former Commonwealth light-heavyweight champion Ovil McKenzie and former WBU boss Ruben Groenewald blotted Nielsen's record. But Hamed, now trained by Richie Woodhall in his adopted homecity after spells with Pat Cowdell in Coventry and Errol Johnson in Wednesbury, insists the time away has done him good and made him a more refreshed fighter. He is adamant that a win over the bigger Mancunian will set up title action later on in the year. And whilst things should be taken a step at a time, time isn't something that is on the Second City iron-man's hands. At 34 and with just 12 fights under his belt following a long unpaid career of over 200 fights, Jamali can ill-afford anymore slip-ups. "We have a few plans for Hamed," explained co-promoter Jon Pegg, a former pro bantamweight who is now carving out a career as a promoter and matchmaker. "Providing he comes through a tough test against Nielsen, Hamed can probably look forward to a title shot of some description. "He is enjoying life in the gym, enjoying training with Richie and the other lads. He is a good boxer but said he used the wrong tactics earlier on in his career. He said he's settled now." If you are a long-time follower of the amateur code, especially in the Midlands, you will know that the Birmingham super-middleweight, fighting at light-heavyweight in this comeback scrap, was a top-rated amateur who once pushed Nottingham's Carl Froch to his limits. Froch is now an unbeaten, iron-fisted British champion on the cusp of a recognised world title fight in the next 12 months. Against Hamed, Froch was forced to work for every point on the way to a close and disputed decision. It was plain to see the East Midlander didn't like the intense pressure he was put under by the West Midlander. Some, including co-promoter John Costello (head-honcho at Chelmsley Wood ABC) who was there that night, believe Jamali was unlucky not be given the nod over the future World Amateur bronze medallist. However, the Iranian-born boxer has rarely shown that quality in the paid ranks despite winning his first seven paid outings, including a win over now-streaking JJ Ojuederie. He came unstuck in his eighth, however, when losing a controversial ten-round decision (96-95) to Ingle-trained switcher Simeon Cover – a man he had previously outscored – for the British Masters 12st belt in 2004. Since that agonising loss to Cover, who went on to make two successful defences, he has lost three of four, although only mallet-fisted Cello Renda has disposed of him quickly (doing so in one impressive round at the International Convention Centre (ICC) in 2006). That defeat made Jamali re-evaluate what he wanted and put him in to an extended exile from the sport. But the 12-fight (eight wins, one early, four losses) boxer now says: "I'm back to win, back to pick up some titles and back in business. But I know I must win to keep my title dreams alive. "I must thank Richie Woodhall, who has got me boxing behind my jab instead of brawling, and Jon Pegg and John Costello for having faith in me. I don't intend on letting any of them down. "He (Bob Shannon-trained Nielsen) has a good record but I know I will win and then can get back to where I was before," added the ambitious scrapper ahead of his bout in Birmingham city centre. "I know with a few wins I can get a crack at a belt. "I've been in this gym for about eight months now and I feel better than I ever have. I intend on proving that against Nielsen, who seems to have power but little else, on Friday night."

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