Berry: I want to fight for title at Excelsior

Nyall Berry…a feather taking the sport by storm

NYALL Berry, the featherweight with wrecking ball power, is pinning his hopes on a Midlands title fight at promoter Scott Murray’s next Excelsior Sporting Club dinner show in June.

His opponent at the Cannock venue will not be Walsall unbeaten Lewis Morris, however – despite the Board of Control calling for the title contest.

That’s a shame. It would’ve been a classic collision between boxer and puncher. But Lewis stressed only week ago he needed more experience over longer distances before stepping up to 10 round level.

The Board of Control bulletin states: “Promoters and Matchmakers are invited to submit purse bids in short terms for the contest, unless voluntary agreement is reached beforehand, which are to be submitted by hand to the next Midlands Area Meeting by 12.00pm on Sunday,  May 14.”

Chelmsley Wood’s Berry has simply taken the local game by storm. Now 7-0, the exciting 23-year-old last performed at the Excelsior’s inaugural show in March. Tungsten-tough Khvicha Gigolasvili was hit hard and clean, the thud of leather against his reddened flanks echoed around the hall, yet somehow the Georgian survived the full six rounds.

News the contest with Morris is not on the immediate horizon has not gone down well with Nyall. “I’m gutted, to be honest,” he said. “That would’ve been a good fight, I’ve always wanted to fight Lewis. He said he wanted to fight me.

“Jon (manager Jon Pegg) is trying to find someone for June 22 at the Excelsior. If he can get the right opponent it can be for the Midlands title, but I don’t know who is out there at Midlands level. At English level there are quite a few.

“I don’t get annoyed, it will all come in due time. At Midlands level, I’ll be champion by the end of the year.”

One person not surprised by Nyall’s meteoric rise is the fighter himself.

“When I turned pro, I knew what would happen,” he said. “In the amateurs I had to chase people. Wearing eight ounce gloves, I expected this type of thing to happen.

“I’m more surprised by how tough some of these journeymen are. I’ve watched my last fight back so many times, I’m beginning to pick things with it. Jon was happy with it – the only thing he said was I needed more variety on my shots.

“I feel like I could’ve had a bit more sharpness in the late rounds, but I can’t pick over it too much.”

Berry believes he has the ability to fight for a British title within two years. He’s in no rush.

“I don’t want to rush too much,” he stressed. “I have to remember I was never this top amateur. I only had 25 fights and started boxing when I was 16. Now I’m starting to pick up new things all the time.”

Title or no title, aggressive Berry can be guaranteed to come out all gun blazing at The Excelsior.

At present, he’s something of a secret, an unknown on the national scene. At this rate he won’t be a secret for much longer.