River and Danny set to dazzle home fans

Danny Quartermaine…one of the country’s top prospects

WARWICKSHIRE warlords River Wilson-Bent and Danny Quartermaine – two fighters putting the county famed for producing Randolph Turpin again on the boxing map – will engage in six rounders on Saturday’s big Coventry bill.

Exciting middleweight Wilson-Bent marks time while awaiting another English title tilt against Darryl Sharp at the Sports Connexion venue.

He’ll give weight away – the Lancashire southpaw has scaled as heavy as cruiser – but should have too much for a 31-year-old who has won only seven of 108 (one draw).

Sharp is a tough man to stop, however. In a six-and-half year career only three opponents have prevented him hearing the final bell.

Wilson Bent, from Coventry, lost a previous crack at the English title by split decision to Tyler Denny.

Quartermaine, from Turpin’s home town of Leamington, is considered one of the hottest prospects in the country, having won seven on the spin.

The big ticket-seller will face teak tough Lithuanian lightweight Simas Volosinas. In a 116 bout career (seven wins) Volosinas has faced the domestic scene’s real iron and proved near impossible to budge.

Danny, aged 25, hopes to have captured Midlands and English titles by the end of the year. He said: “I’m looking at super-feather (junior-lightweight in old money), but if the opportunity came at feather, I’d take it. A day before weigh-in opens up a whole new experience.

“I want to push faster. I want to get on bigger shows, break into TV shows. As an amateur, I competed for four to five years at elite level with the top lads in the country.

“The last time I fought was on the same bill as the James Beech-Raza Hamza featherweight title fight (won by Beech on points). No disrespect to James, but I beat him three times in the amateurs. It was nice to see him win because it allowed me to look at the levels and titles I can achieve.

“I look at the fighters I faced in the amateurs and what they’ve achieved and think it only brings glory to my name. Even back then I was always told I had a style more suited to the professionals. I’ve always had those energy levels, I’ve always been all action. After three rounds, I felt as if I was just warming-up.”

River Wilson-Bent…closing in on another English title shot

Wilson-Bent, aged 29, said: “We’ve been told Tyler will vacate the English title and good luck to him, he deserves to fight for the British,” said Wilson-Bent.

“I’m the logical choice to fight for the vacant title. Tyler beat me narrowly. I had a point taken off and still thought I’d got it by a couple of rounds.

“Look at the unbeaten lads he’s boxed since me, look what he’s done to them. He easily outpointed them and could’ve stopped them.”

Wilson-Bent believes he’s emerged a more complete fighter from his only two defeats.

“I was always the guy who had to be the fastest, it was always a rush. Now I’m more relaxed. I’m older and wiser.”