Tennant goes back in at the deep end

Published on Friday 9 May 2008 10:27

FERGUS TENNANT has taken a hugely-ambitious step in challenging Gilmerton's on-form Scottish light-welterweight champion John Thain in a bill-topping four-rounder at Leith Victoria's annual summer show in Edinburgh Masonic club on Sunday .

The fight will see Leith Vics boxer Tennant – a former youth lightweight champion – make his first ring appearance in a year.

Nevertheless, Tennant was upbeat about his clash with reigning Scottish 63kgs champion Thain, saying: "Of course, I'll be a huge underdog against Thain, who has been really impressive recently while I haven't boxed for a whole year, but I like the idea of being the underdog –it puts all the pressure on Thain.

"Besides, Thain and I are former Leith Victoria clubmates, who sparred loads of rounds together so I know exactly what I will be up against – but I'll be there to win on Sunday."

Meanwhile, yet another eastern amateur star will be making a comeback on Sunday's ten- bout bill.

Former Gilmerton Scottish youth bantamweight champion, Steven Tiffany, will make his debut in a Lochend club vest while stepping up to featherweight against Clovenstone's tough veteran Gordon Izzat while the Academy Street-based club's Gambian internationalist welterweight, Momudu Jammeh, goes head to head with Newharthill's Jamie Nolan.

Meanwhile, Scotland's only Olympic boxing gold medal winner, ex-lightweight legend Dick McTaggart, will share a ring at Sunday's show with old adversaries Jim Craft of Leith Victoria and Malcolm McKenzie, formerly of Granton's Buccleuch club, although no punches will be traded these old opponents from the 1960s are reunited.

Another feature of Sunday's Masonic club-based tournament will be the first ever award of the Eric Bell memorial trophy.

The trophy – to commemorate the huge contribution made by club official and former boxer Bell who died earlier this year – will go to the boxer who has done most, in the opinion of club officials, to enhance the reputation of Leith Victoria in the 2007-08 boxing season.