Saville gets Golden Boy Sid by Tom Podmore Jul 4th 2008

Steve Saville has been handed a 'Golden' opportunity to shoot up the ratings at light-welterweight. The Wolverhampton crowdpleaser had his first competitive fight for six years on June 24 and has now been pencilled in to meet undefeated Bradford light-welter Nadeem Siddique on July 11, an eight-rounder on the undercard of the vacant British lightweight title clash between Lee Meager and John Murray at Wigan's Robin Park. He doesn't plan to let this chance go begging. Confident Siddique, undefeated in 22 (six quickly) going back to 2002, had been set to box unbeaten Julius Odion on this bill, a fight that had originally been set to take place in Coventry last month. Problems with the Canadian-based puncher's visa, however, left John Ingle, manager and matchmaker, and Mick Hennessy, promoter, seeking a willing opponent from closer to home. Enter Saville. The Black Country muscleman returned from his 66-month hiatus in sparkling fashion late last month, dropping Coventry's ‘Bulldog' Baz Carey on the way to a four-round points decision in his hometown. The pocket-sized puncher has always had a reputation as fan-friendly fighter, living up to that billing on the undercard of Wayne Elcock's ill-fated British middleweight title defence against Darren McDermott. Now he meets a talented Ingle-trained Yorkshireman who has targeted a crack at top domestic honours before the end of the year and has already held the Central Area and British Masters welterweight crowns. The 30-year-old has stopped three of his last four opponents and even offered to step in and face touted John Murray at the last minute in May. But fearless Saville, 16-4 (6), said: “I couldn't believe it when Errol (Johnson, trainer, manager and promoter) told me that he'd arranged for me to box Siddique, a man rated in the top 20 in the country, in Wigan next week. I was excited and a little bit nervous at first. “Now I'm 100 per cent convinced this is my time to shine. “I am not scared of anyone,” boasted the 31-year-old First Team-promoted warmonger, joined on the bill by his Wednesbury gym stablemate, Walsall's undefeated Midland Area lightweight champion Martin Gethin. “We are both trained fighters and it will come down to who can perform to the best of their abilities on the night. I know that will be me.” Hennessy Sports matchmaker John Ingle added: “Saville always comes to fight and he'll have a real go at Sid. I saw him box Gavin Down for the Midland Area title a few years ago and they were both going at it like Hagler and Hearns. He won't lie down and this could prove to be a really difficult night for Nadeem.”

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