Berry makes a quick return to title action

Nyall Berry…boxes for IBO Continental crown in Sheffield

SUPER-BANTAMWEIGHT bomber Nyall Barry has been given a swift shot at redemption – and another title opportunity – following his first loss.

The Chelmsley Wood boxer will fight for the IBO Continental title at Sheffield’s Park Community Arena on December 7 in a show staged by his promoters GBM. He’ll face Iranian born champ Razor Ali, a man with a tough, harrowing background.

For “Non Stop” Nyall the 10 rounder offers a rapid return to the top level where many predicted he belonged.

Very big things were expected of the 25-year-old. He was voted Midlands prospect of the year, he was unbeaten in 10, he had overwhelmed opponents put before him.

Then, four months ago, Francesco De Rosa put a dent in Nyall’s invincible reputation. With the IBF European title on the line, the slick Italian halted Berry in eight rounds, a crippling body shot buckling the favourite.

That was an unexpected setback and Nyall took it badly. Yet, even the very best suffer defeat.

In his only bout since, Berry looked his old self, demolishing usually durable Jayro Duran in one round. At Cannock’s Excelsior Club in September, the Honduras boxer was starched by a sweet left hook.

Now Nyall has chosen to plunge straight back in the deep end, and some will ask whether a greater period of rehabilitation was needed before facing rugged Ali who has won 10 on the spin.

That’s the measure of champions. They don’t want warm-ups, they want to go to war again as soon as possible.

Manager Jon Pegg said: “For a fighter of Nyall’s age and ability there shouldn’t be any hangover. They shouldn’t need three or four fights to get over a good fight.

“Nyall didn’t take a drubbing (against De Rosa). It was a close, even fight until he took a body shot.”

He added: “I know Razor Ali, I was actually in the opposite corner for one of his fights.”

In 27-year-old Ali – born Alireza Ghadiri, the Brummie buzzsaw will face a boxer who has surfaced from a savage upbringing.

As a six-year-old in Iran, he was the only survivor of a car crash that killed seven family member and left him severely burned. As a teenager, he was sucked into a world of gangland criminality.

“I was part of gangs, fighting for drugs, money, strength, and I was witness to many things I didn’t want to see,” Razor told the Mirror.

“I was beaten up by the gang because I wouldn’t do the worst things. I said, ‘I fight, I sell drugs, but I don’t do that’.”

Razor is now settled in East London and announced his arrival as a contender in May by halting Lennox Lythgoe for the IBO belt. Lennox, on a nine bout unbeaten run, was stopped in three.

But Lythgoe isn’t considered a big puncher. Berry is.

Ghetto life and hardship may build toughness, but they don’t make it any easier to absorb a left hook on the chin. And Berry throws very meaty left hooks.