Denny vows: I’ve got the beating of Cash!
Tyler Denny celebrates becoming European king.
THE cat is now out of the bag…
Wolverhampton warrior Conah Walker’s fight with big punching Belfast prospect Lewis Crocker – one of the worst kept secrets in boxing – will take place on Matchroom’s huge Resorts World bill on June 22. It will be streamed on DAZN.
And how’s this for a co-main event? Rowley Regis’ European middleweight king defends his crown against Felix cash.
Those are two gilt edged contests – and they underline the growing power of Errol Johnson’s Black County Boxing stable.
For craftsman Denny, the mouthwatering match-up with Cash represents a new high in a career that began without fanfare and in small halls. In contrast, former amateur star Cash was groomed for big things from the get-go and started out under the TV lights.
Denny, always admired within the game, really began to come into his own in 2022. He took the English tile by beating River Wilson-Bent, then upset hot prospect Bradley Rea away from home.
2023 was the 32-year-old’s dream year.
Poster for the major Resorts World show
He put another big prospect, Brad Pauls, in his place and, on a glorious night in Wolverhampton, became a European champion by stopping Matteo Signani.
He’ll start an underdog against Cash, who is unbeaten in 16, but Tyler is making a habit of defying the odds against him.
Felix stopped Jack Cullen for the Commonwealth belt in 2019, halted Jason Welborn in a defence, then uncorked the best performance of his career – a demolition of dangerous Denzel Bentley to gain the British title.
Cash didn’t capitalise on that performance and come fight night at Birmingham’s Resorts World he will have been out of the ring for a year-and-a-half.
That’s a lot of rust to carry against a tough, tried and tested champ such as Denny, a man who doesn’t give a fig about reputations.
“I think I have the beating of him, regardless (of the inactivity),” Tyler told me. “Time will tell. I’m looking forward to it.
“The wait has been frustrating. I was meant to fight in February or March, a voluntary defence. I didn’t really want to wait until the end of June.
“I’m improving all the time because someone’s always pushing to be number one in the gym, there’s healthy competition between me and Liam Davies.
“After his last performance, Liam is number one. I need to re-establish myself.”
In other words, the boxers push each other to another level.
Tyler added: “Being the underdog doesn’t bother me. I’ve been there before, done it before.”
Conah Walker and Lewis Crocker…a truly epic collision
Conah Walker and Lewis Crocker is, quite simply, a barnstormer.
At 28, Walker is at the peak of his powers. With just two losses in a 16 bout career, Conah truly arrived last August by overwhelming unbeaten sensation Cyrus Pattinson – a man being groomed for very big things.
Walker followed that sensational win by blitzing Lloyd Germain, unbeaten in nine going into the contest, at Belfast’s Ulster Hall in January. The Welshman was down three times in the third.
Crocker, aged 27, was also on that bill – and also shone in stopping Jose Felix Jnr in five. That win earned him the WBO inter-continental belt.
He’s won all 18 pro fights, 10 by stoppage. In fact, The Croc won his first five contests inside three rounds.
On social media, Walker posted: “Opportunities like this have been a dream of mine ever since I started boxing.
“Challenging myself and fighting the best is what really gets my insides tingling. June 22 you’re going to see wolf 2.0 ! A different animal.
“Me and my team have been working non-stop behind the scenes, polishing the floors in my game to become a better fighter all round. This will show on fight night.”