Interviews
Bournemouth’s next massive star? One to watch: Lee Cutler
Nearly 15 years ago, Lee Cutler watched Ricky Hatton fail in his attempt to dethrone boxing great Floyd Mayweather Jr. in Las Vegas in a fight that captured the public imagination.
On Saturday night, Bournemouth native Cutler (7-0, 4 KOs) will find himself in the opposite corner of the Manchester icon when he takes on another undefeated prospect, Bradley Rea, on the undercard of Lawrence Okolie’s vacant WBO cruiserweight world title fight against Kryztof Głowacki at the SSE Arena.
“It’s obviously a bit surreal because Bradley Rea is training with Ricky Hatton,” Cutler said. proboxing-fans.com.
“So he’ll be in the corner across from me, so it’ll be a bit surreal for me.
“My first memory of boxing was watching him box and now he’s in the corner across from me, facing me, so it’s crazy how it works out, but I’m really looking forward to it.”
The 25-year-old began training at just 14, against his mother’s wishes, chasing his dreams while still in school.
After his first fight at the age of 15, Cutler embarked on an impressive amateur career, winning a national title and three Western County titles, among others.
Cutler, who fights at super welterweight and middleweight, says he has an aggressive fighting style and doesn’t mind meeting his opponent in the middle of the ring.
“I’m a bit of a boxer, I can do both, I like to break things up,” Cutler said of his style.
“Depending on my mood, attitude and how I felt before. [I’m] I’m boxing pretty well in the gym, I’m doing a lot of rounds with Ted Cheeseman, guys like Anthony Fowler are doing well. I’m learning from those guys, obviously I’m doing longer rounds now.
“I have eight rounds to play this weekend, I’ve played 10 rounds in sparring with fresh opponents, so I’m more than ready for that.”
Cutler will face a familiar opponent on Saturday evening when he ends a layoff of more than 15 months to face Lancashire’s Bradley Rea.
The pair sparred last year and Cutler believes it set the tone for a fight that could be special and worth paying for, broadcast live on Sky Sports and DAZN.
“We went to Liverpool to watch Chris [Billam-Smith] win the Commonwealth title.
“We went to Manchester over the weekend and spent a few days there before he fought a few rounds with me and my trainer Kev Thornley.
“I had a little sparring, I had an eight-round sparring with Brad Rea, very, very, very good sparring in close contact, tough rounds.
“We know it’s going to be a tough fight, we both know we have nothing to lose and everything to gain, so I know it’s going to be a tough fight.
“He’s a very high and long opponent, it’s going to be tough for me to get inside and stuff like that, but I think I have what it takes to get there and win.
“So much respect for Brad that we’re both putting it all on the line, we don’t have to do that. I think he’s a little younger than me, only about a year, we’re both putting it all on the line and I know it’s going to be a great fight, I think it could be a show stealer.”
Cutler is hoping a win over Rea will lead to a maiden title fight either in the Southern Area or at English level in his hometown.
There were reportedly talks last spring about staging a Matchroom Boxing event featuring Chris Billam-Smith in Bournemouth, but it ultimately fell through.
Nevertheless, Cutler admits he is relishing the prospect of sharing the bill with the Commonwealth champion, who will face Vasil Ducar for the vacant WBA Continental Cruiserweight title, and putting Bournemouth on the map.
“It really is a bit surreal, isn’t it. Bournemouth aren’t known for boxing, let’s face it.
“We started out at the same amateur club in Poole ABC. When he turned professional I spent my last year at Parkstone ABC but we both pushed each other, it’s what we both dreamed of and for me to get my first chance at a massive game, to have it with Chris and not be at Bournemouth, it’s a bit surreal really.
“It’s kind of written for us and we’re both under pressure to deliver because last year Eddie Hearn wanted to bring a performance to Bournemouth so hopefully if we both win on Saturday it can happen in the summer which I’m looking forward to, let’s get a win first.”
Watch the full interview with Lee Cutler below:
Natasha Jonas unified the welterweight division by defeating Ivana Habazin by clear points on Saturday to add the WBC title to her IBF crown at the Exhibition Center in Liverpool.
Jonas (16-2-1, 9 KO) was last seen defending her title in January in a hard-fought split decision over Mikaela Mayer, while Habazin (23-6, 7 KO) won the vacant WBC welterweight title in her home country. time out, winning by wide points over Kinga Magyar.
After a technical opening round, Jonas settled into a steady rhythm before landing a powerful right hand in the fourth round that crushed Habazin.
There was a rivalry, but the home favorite was much better in the rallies and seemed to be losing round after round.
This situation lasted until the final bell, when Jonas became the winner by scores of 100-90, 99-91 and 99-92.
Price is closing in on Jonas’ match
Lauren Price definitely stayed on as a collision course with Jonas and easily defended her WBA and IBO welterweight titles after a third-round fight against Bexcy Mateus.
Mateus (7-1, 6 KO) was on board in the first round, after the Welshman landed a powerful left hand, and the Colombian struggled to match Price’s speed.
The same shot caused the 29-year-old to repeat the punch in the second round, and the round later ended when another stinging left hand stunned Meteus and she fell to the canvas, after which the fight was stopped.
Price (8-0, 2 KO) has agreed to face Jonas next, and promoter Ben Shalom revealed it could be announced next week.
Knife edge passes McKenna
Lee Cutler scored an upset victory to claim the silver WBC International welterweight title after winning a majority decision against Stephen McKenna.
McKenna (15-1, 14 KO) was eliminated in the first round, his knee touching the canvas after being tagged, and Cutler (15-1, 7 KO) took full advantage of his opponent’s weakness in the seventh round when his right hand plunged into his knee. The Irishman who ultimately fell once again.
McKenna was relentless in his attacks and landed a huge number of punches.
The balance of 94-94 was surpassed by the scores of 95-93 and 96-92, which ensured the victory for Cutler.
Jeffers stopped Quartey
Mark Jeffers is on track for large fights in 2025 after defeating Joshua Quartey to defend his silver Commonwealth super middleweight title.
A pair of right hands put Quartey (10-1, 9 KO) on the board, and although he broke the count, a well-placed body shot after the restart by Jeffers (19-0, 6 KO) blew the guy away again.
A crazy attack after the restart forced a stoppage.
Riley secures Chamberlain’s face-off with a stoppage
Viddal Riley finished the heavyweight fight and stopped Dan Garber in the second of the scheduled six rounds.
Riley (12-0, 7 KO) hit Garber (7-4, 2 KO) with his right hand, and then his next attack forced the referee’s intervention.
Riley’s next match will be against Isaac Chamberlain on February 1.
Undercard remaining
Mason Cartwright (21-4-1, 8 KO) won all six rounds at super welterweight against Dzmitry Atrokhau (16-25, 7 KO), and Hope lightweight Frankie Stringer (9-0, 1 KO) did the same in the fight against Tatenda Mangombe (3-9-1).
In the flyweight division, Mikie Tallon (6-0) defeated Benn Norman (7-7) with a body shot in the first round of the match, and then settled for a 59-54 victory.
The only fighter to fight four rounds in the super featherweight division was Mason Devine (6-0, 1 KO), who won every session against Jayo Fernando Duran (15-34-1, 14 KO).
Dillian Whyte has revealed his predictions for the hotly anticipated rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury on December 21.
Fury, who knocked out Whyte at Wembley Stadium in 2022, will seek revenge for the only defeat of his career in just 11 days, after losing to Usyk by split decision earlier this year.
Despite losing the night, “The Gypsy King” was a major success and many are struggling to pick a winner in his second battle against the imperious Ukrainian.
Some experts believe Fury needs to be more aggressive and take the lead if he is to win.
I’m talking to Social boxingWhyte revealed he shared that view, asking the Morecambe man to return to the game plan that saw him destroy Deontay Wilder in the return leg.
“It’s a great fight, man, I’m still trying to think – how will this fight go?
“Okay, Fury can make changes, but Usyk can make changes too. It’s a tough fight, a very, very tough fight for both fighters.
“If I were Fury’s coach, I would tell him he has to play aggressively.
“Fight him like you fought Wilder the second time.
“Bring back the aggression, bring back the tyrant!
“This is heavyweight boxing – you never know.”
It is unclear whether Fury will heed the advice of Whyte and others in the boxing world who have advised him to take the fight to Usyk, but looks noticeably heavier than before the first fight.
What are the changes? ❌@Tyson_Fury says he will exploit exactly the same game plan as the first time when he faces Oleksandr Usyk at the end of the month.
Thinks? 🧐 pic.twitter.com/VtpEwLJkWx
— Professional boxing fans (@ProBoxingFans) December 6, 2024
Win or lose, the 36-year-old could face a long-awaited home fight against Anthony Joshua, even though “A.J.” interrupted defeat against Daniel Dubois in September.
While it may not have been as great a spectacle as it once was, a clash between Joshua and Fury would still be by far the biggest all-British fight in recent memory.
As for Whyte, he returns to the ring next Sunday night and will face Ghanaian heavyweight Ebenezer Tetteh live on DAZN in Gibraltar.
The All-American fight between lightweight world champions Gervonta Davis and Shakur Stevenson is one of the most anticipated fights in all of boxing.
Both Davis and Stevenson are undefeated multi-weight champions and are staples on any respected pound-for-pound list.
With this in mind, you could be forgiven for assuming that the pair locking corners in their prime years is a given, but that doesn’t seem likely to happen in the near future.
“Tank” spoke to the media at the press conference inaugurating his performance March 1 fight with Lamont Roach, and when the prospect of fighting Stevenson arose, he didn’t seem particularly interested.
The Baltimore hitter even went so far as to question what his compatriot did to deserve him.
“What for? Who has Shakur [beat]? What did Shakur do?
“What has he achieved in sports? He didn’t do anything! Juvenile people look better than him!”
“Keyshawn [Davis] you look so much better than that nigga! Shout it out nigga, he ain’t done nothing!
I asked Gervonta about a possible fight with Shakur… #Box #TankRoach pic.twitter.com/T1eNFJ9iIO
— Dwa O Dwa Z.. (@Noo_Barzz) December 3, 2024
“Why the hell are you saying his name?”
Like Davis, Stevenson will also return to action in the first quarter of next year, fighting against up-and-comer Floyd Schofield on the February 22 Riyad season card.
The Newark southpaw has been sidelined since his July decision victory over Artem Harutyunyan after he had to withdraw from a proposed October fight with Joe Cordina due to injury.
Saudi boxing boss Turki Alalshikh has expressed his willingness to have a fight between the two virtuosos, provided both are successful in their upcoming fights.
‼️ His Excellency Turki Alalshikh stated that he wants the Gervonta Davis vs Shakur Stevenson fight: “My plan for Shakur is this fight [vs Floyd Schofield]then William Zepeda, and then let’s see if Tank wants to come on our show.” [@DAZNBoxing] pic.twitter.com/Mmi6hO7Fjo
— Michael Benson (@MichaelBenson) December 3, 2024
While he undoubtedly has the talent to rival Davis, Stevenson is not as commercial a star as his rival, and some critics believe he needs to start giving more entertaining performances if he wants to get substantial names.
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