Quigley asks for Fight Delay
TONY QUIGLEY has asked for a short postponement to his British super-middleweight title defence against Paul Smith. Quigley is lined up to face his fellow Scouser at Liverpool's Echo Arena on Friday October 30th, but has requested a two week delay. He is suffering from a shoulder injury which means he is unable to spar until mid-October. He said: "I'm certainly not avoiding Smith, but I won't be as prepared as I'd like for the fight if it is staged at the end of next month, which is a gutter. "It looks like our request to move the fight may be turned down and therefore I will have to fight Smith with two weeks sparring instead of the normal four weeks .
"It is not ideal but an 80 per-cent Tony Quigley beats Paul Smith so I'll have to get on with it. It would just have been a bit easier with the full preparation that I believe a champion should get.
"My manager Steve Wood has been contacted by the office of the fight's promoter Frank Warren saying they will try and get me stripped if I don't fight on October 30." Wood added: "Tony was not 100 per-cent when he boxed Tony Dodson but we took the chance as it was a great opportunity to become British champion . "That gamble paid off and now we are the champion. I do not understand why the board would consider stripping us over a two week delay request. "It does not seem fair to me and I am willing to take the matter further." Quigley's promoter Frank Maloney is more upbeat about a postponement after speaking with Board general secretary Robert Smith and expects an answer next week. Maloney added: "I have every confidence in the BBB of C and I don't envisage any sort of problem getting a minimal delay. "I was looking at a list last night of British champions who have postponed defences for a longer period and not been stripped so I don't think there should be anything to worry about. "I do apologise to Frank Warren, Paul Smith, the Board and most of all those who have bought tickets, but I'm sure the fans understand. They want both men on top form for what is a potential Fight of the Year.
"It is not ideal but an 80 per-cent Tony Quigley beats Paul Smith so I'll have to get on with it. It would just have been a bit easier with the full preparation that I believe a champion should get.
"My manager Steve Wood has been contacted by the office of the fight's promoter Frank Warren saying they will try and get me stripped if I don't fight on October 30." Wood added: "Tony was not 100 per-cent when he boxed Tony Dodson but we took the chance as it was a great opportunity to become British champion . "That gamble paid off and now we are the champion. I do not understand why the board would consider stripping us over a two week delay request. "It does not seem fair to me and I am willing to take the matter further." Quigley's promoter Frank Maloney is more upbeat about a postponement after speaking with Board general secretary Robert Smith and expects an answer next week. Maloney added: "I have every confidence in the BBB of C and I don't envisage any sort of problem getting a minimal delay. "I was looking at a list last night of British champions who have postponed defences for a longer period and not been stripped so I don't think there should be anything to worry about. "I do apologise to Frank Warren, Paul Smith, the Board and most of all those who have bought tickets, but I'm sure the fans understand. They want both men on top form for what is a potential Fight of the Year.
posted by Robert Halter at 9:25 AM
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