Appleby given surprise shot at European title

Published on Wednesday 3 June 2009 22:37

FORMER British featherweight champion Paul Appleby has been handed a dramatic and unexpected opportunity to bounce back from the first defeat of his professional career.

The 21-year-old South Queensferry boxer has been officially nominated to challenge Oleg Yefimovich of Ukraine for the European featherweight title later this year. Appleby's chance has come after Martin Lindsay, who relieved him of the British title by stopping him in six rounds in Belfast two months ago, decided to relinquish his status as the number one contender for the European belt.

Yefimovich, a 27-year-old from Donetsk who has lost just one of his 17 fights as a professional, became European champion in July last year and will be making his third defence of the title against Appleby.

The European Boxing Union has put the contest out to purse offers with a 30 June deadline. Tommy Gilmour, Appleby's promoter, will make a bid for the fight. If successful, he would hope to stage it at the Kelvin Hall in Glasgow in September.

However, Yefimovich is backed by wealthy Ukrainian promoters who are equally determined to provide him with home advantage. Tellingly, the champion's sole defeat came in his only previous contest outside Ukraine, when he fought in Uzbekistan three years ago.

Regardless of the venue, simply securing the fight is a major bonus for Appleby after his setback against Linsday. The Scot, who was named Britain's Young Boxer of the Year following his meteoric progress to lifting the British title last year, would reinforce his reputation with victory over Yefimovich.

"It's a major boost for Paul," said Gilmour. "Lindsay and his management decided to turn down the Yefimovich fight and when the EBU offered us the nomination for Paul, we didn't hesitate to accept. It was a fight we always had in mind for him, although it seemed as if the defeat to Lindsay would put him back down the queue of contenders. But it may just be things have worked out for the best."

&#149 David Haye has withdrawn from his heavyweight world title clash with Wladimir Klitschko because of injury.

Haye was scheduled to challenge for Klitschko's IBF, WBO and IBO belts at Schalke's Veltins-Arena on 20 June. The nature or severity of the injury is unknown, casting doubt over when the fight can be re-staged.