Boxing legend is the guest of honour in Cannock
There will be former and future world featherweight champions in Cannock on Thursday, March 6, writes Matt Bozeat.
Barry McGuigan will be guest of honour at Excelsior Sporting Club’s next fight night in the Premier Suite at Bar Sport.
McGuigan won the WBA featherweight title 40 years ago this summer and will watch a five-fight bill that is topped by a female fight in the same division he conquered.
Jess Barry and Linzi Buczynskyj clash for the vacant Commonwealth Silver featherweight championship and promoter Scott Murray believes the 10 rounder can be a stepping stone to world honours for Barry.
He has featured the 30 year old from Coventry on two of his Excelsior Sporting Club shows and has mapped out her route to the top of the boxing world.
Provided she beats Buczynskyj, Barry should then box in France at the end of April.
Murray said: “If Jess comes through that we will look to get her a shot at the WBC International belt next.
“That would get her a world ranking and she could fight for the world title either later this year or next year.
“I’m looking to push her on.”
BoxRec, boxing’s leading independent website, currently have Barry ranked No 26 in the featherweight division after only seven fights.
Murray said: “Nobody in that division will get an easy night against Jess.
“She is relentless.”
The show also features unbeaten Cannock welterweight Zach Evans and Murray added a fifth fight this week.
Jamie Stewart, the colourful former Midlands Area welterweight champion from Stoke, will face Frenchman Dassa Namana.
Stewart has put drug addiction behind him to box on TNT Sports and Excelsior Sporting Club diners saw him hold Irish hope Ray Moylette to a draw a couple of years ago.
