Dennis Hobson has hailed his fighters Liam Cameron and Lewis Taylor after the pair breezed through their biggest career tests at the Hillsborough Leisure Centre on Saturday (December 13).
With the duo both in title fight eliminators, and with a 1000-strong crowd and the BoxNation TV cameras in attendance, Cameron and Taylor stole the show with standout performances.
Although damaging his hand in the first round, Sheffield’s ‘Cannonball’ Cameron showed his class by beating Welsh champion Tobias Webb with virtually one mitt in a British super-middleweight title eliminator. Looking every inch the star he was touted to be when first turning pro, former ABA champion Liam had far too much for a spirited Webb as he cantered to a unanimous points victory.
Donfield’s Taylor (pictured) also came through a tough ask when Sunderland’s previously-unbeaten Jonson McClumpha was pulled out of their English middleweight title eliminator in the fifth due to a nasty cut. After an accidental head clash bloodied the Mackem in the first, Lewis took control and was well on his way to a win before the doctor intervened to call the action off.
Liam, with 18 wins from 21 outings, will now look to mix with some of the big names in the exciting domestic super-middleweight division. Taylor, meanwhile, is being lined up for middleweight title honours after local rival Adam Etches – who recently boosted his undefeated ledger to 18-0 against another East European journeyman – turned down a potentially huge derby contest.
“It was a shame we had the late pull-out from [Stephen] Ormond in the top of the bill against [Terry] Flanagan,” explained promoter Hobson, “but Liam and Lewis were in testing fights which were going to show if they had it or not, and they both came through with flying colours. It was two big performances and they’ve taken themselves to another level. I’m really buzzing, they’ve given me something to work with and we can now manoeuvre them into title chances.
“Liam has that belief now, and I hope I’ve got that mentality where I can get a bit more out of him. If we can get him the right sparring we can get him up to that level where he’ll trouble anybody domestically.
“McClumpha got stopped [on a cut] but Lewis was doing a job on him and the outcome was inevitable. He took himself to a whole new level. There was a lot of spite in his punches that I haven’t seen before and I’m starting to believe in him even more. He’s got it and wants to test himself against the best. He’s a special breed, is a lovely, intelligent kid and he’s got a winner’s mentality. And I can work with that.
“If Adam [Etches] and his so-called advisers have seen Lewis’ fight they’ll be running a mile, because Lewis would expose Adam. Adam laid the gauntlet down saying he’d knock Lewis out, well we’ve picked it up and are running with it, and I think Lewis would knock Adam out. If they fancy themselves, we’re here on the doorstep, we’ll pay big money and we’ll make it for a title. So let’s get it on. Adam’s running scared now, which is a shame because, as a fighter, he’s exciting but I don’t think he’s been handled properly.”
