Ambitious Appleby puts claims on line

Published on Thursday 5 June 2008 23:21

EVER since he burst on to the professional scene in January 2006 at the age of 18, Paul Appleby has been regarded as the most exciting prospect in Scottish, if not British, boxing.

Tonight at the Kelvin Hall, one of the sport's most iconic venues, we will discover if the South Queensferry youngster can live up to a tag that he has been more than happy to embrace.

Such is Appleby's self confidence and burning ambition, he is challenging for the British featherweight title much sooner than his shrewd manager Tommy Gilmour would probably have liked.

It had become impossible to hold Appleby back any longer, however, with the enthusiasm for his talents expressed by Sky Sports matching the boxer's own unshakeable belief he is now ready to fight for a major championship.

The executives at Sky, who have covered all but one of Appleby's 11 consecutive victories as a professional, have been thrilled by his extrovert style inside the ring where he has seen off eight of his opponents inside the scheduled distance.

As impressive as Appleby's work has been, however, it is equally unarguable that he has not faced anyone of the calibre of the man defending the historic British nine stone crown tonight.

John Simpson is making his third defence of the title he won in December 2006 with a fifth round stoppage of Andy Morris in London. That success for the Greenock boxer came after two previous failed attempts to win the Lonsdale Belt, a highly controversial points loss to Dazzo Williams in November 2004 and then a more comprehensive points defeat against Morris a year later.

At 24, Simpson has now established himself as one of the leading lights on the British domestic scene and he believes he will have too much experience for an opponent he feels may be paying too much attention to his own publicity. Simpson recognises Appleby's talent but, with some justification, considers himself to be approaching the peak of his own powers as he targets a shot at the European title within the next 12 months.

Gilmour describes the contest as the best match he has promoted for a decade and that is not simply hyperbole on the part of the Glaswegian impressario. Such is the unpredictably of the contest, even the bookmakers are finding it difficult to take sides with both champion and challenger generally priced at odds of 5-6. As if to maintain the inseparable theme, Simpson and Appleby both tipped the scales at 8st 13lbs 12oz at yesterday's weigh-in.