Barry faces tougher test at the Excelsior

Jessica Barry…faces East European with a winning record

COVENTRY hope Jess Barry has a new opponent on the Excelsior Sporting Club’s St Parick’s show – and it looks a much tougher ask.

Jess was to have faced Sheriee Barnes on the March 21 card staged at Scott Murray’s Premier Suite in Cannock.

That appeared a fairly undemanding ask for Jess who has lost one of four. Sheriee has yet to win in five.

Barnes, from Sheffield is now out of the six rounder, and her place in the opposite corner has been taken by Lenka Volejnickova from the Czech Republic.

Lenka has lost only one of four – the defeat coming this month to Leicester hope Paige Murney. She’s a tall, full-blown lightweight, while Jess is a compact super-feather.

You have to tip your hat to Murray who has revived the red carpet days of sporting clubs. He’s been hit by a pull-out and given the public a better contest.

“It’s a really tough fight for Jess,” Murray said.

“I’ve got to give away a bit of weight and a lot of height,” said 29-year-old Barry.

She added: “I’ve had more pull-outs than actual fights. I used to feel really gutted about it, now I realise it’s part and parcel of boxing. I suppose it’s a bit of a positive – people don’t want to fight me.

“It is what it is. It’s boxing, it’s a nightmare. Hopefully, I’ll be a better boxer because of it.”

To add to promoter Murray’s woes, the Excelsior’s first title fight has also gone south.

Hereford’s Liam O’Hare and Tom Brennan were to have contested the Midlands middleweight title on the bill, but the latter has pulled out injured.

Instead, O’Hare faces Warwick’s Mike Byles – on the comeback trail after six year away from the game – over six rounds.

Midlands prospect of the year Niall Farrell should have few problems stretching his unbeaten record to six at the expense of Jake Osgood.

The question is whether Niall, from Birmingham, will become one of the few to stop wily Osgood. The bout is a six rounder.

Special guests on the gala night include colourful Irish champ Steve Collins.