Leo and Minaaz take step-up next month

Leo Fanthome faces Dan Booth. Pic: Campfire Stories Productions

NUNEATON coach Lee Spare is in for a busy night on May 10 with three of his boxers in action.

Leo Fanthome, Minaaz Gurung and debutant Dan Wilden all fight at the Holiday Inn, Birmingham Airport. Spare, the man behind the town’s thriving Boxing Clever gym, will know he’s put in a shift.

Both Fanthome and Gurung – Britain’s only pro of Nepalese heritage – have been matched very competitively.

For Fanthome – a very good ticketseller in his Redditch hometown – May 10 represents a step-up.

The 26-year-old welter, who is coming off the first stoppage win in his fledgling, four fight career, faces Dan Booth. They call the Manchester man The Monk and, despite a patchy 6-9 record, he can be a handful. Booth is experienced, has fought for the Central Area title and comes to win.

He’s also game. I watched him take sickening body shots against Scott Melvin and wade back for more.

But Fanthome, from Venezuelan stock, is brim-full of confidence after stopping Ryan Broten in December. That fourth round victory wiped away the memory of a shock inside distance loss in his second pro outing.

This, he vows, will be his last fight over the apprentice four round distance. After May 10 – all being well – the journey towards titles quickens.

“I’ve been training really hard and working really well with Lee Spare,” Leo said. “I feel very confident – it’s time to go.

“I’ve always been able to sell tickets, I have good support in Redditch. I want to put on a good performance for those people.”

He added: “One hundred per cent I want titles, I know I can win titles.”

We’ll know a lot more after the Booth bout. Dan can drag the best out of Fanthome.

Gurung celebrates victory over Stefan Vincent last time out

There’s a lot to like about 23-year-old Gurung. The super-lightweight has an all action style, his Nepalese supporters bring a colourful, carnival atmosphere to small halls and the young man is not lacking in old fashioned “bottle”.

He displays a lot of Gurkha spirit in the ring. But, then, grandad was in the famed regiment.

Minaaz, unbeaten in five, also registered his first stoppage last time out. And that November blast out of Stefan Vincent is a commendable achievement. Dorset’s Vincent is a very accomplished journeyman who knows how to survive against the best.

Gurung’s six rounder on May 10 could well be explosive. It looks his toughest test to date –Ramiro Garcia Lopez is a rugged hombre who has mastered the Mexican art of body-punching.

Twelves months ago, he gave then Midlands prospect of the year Niall Farrell a tough distance fight.

The 32-year-old from Guadalajara can also bang. Of his eight wins in 30 contest, seven have come inside distance.

It’s the kind of test Minaaz craves.

He told me: “I want to fight game fighters. When I fight game fighters who come forward, that’s when I can show my power. A lot of journeymen just tuck-up.

“When I’m against fighters who don’t throw punches it’s hard to show my style. I believe in my boxing skills and wearing 8oz or 10oz gloves, they’re not going to be able to walk through that power.

“Nepalese people are aggressive fighters. I want to show the world Nepalese fighters are brave fighters. Our blood line shows we are fighters.”

Lopez will certainly make Minaaz fight.