River Wilson-Bent -first the Excelsior, then I want Pauls!

Wilson-Bent…burning for an English middleweight title fight

RIVER Wilson-Bent, the marauding middleweight blessed with movie star looks, burns and yearns for another English title fight.

And the Coventry fighter near bristles with anger over news Brad Pauls has been matched with Mitchell Frearson, a man ranked below him, for the vacant belt.

The 29-year-old’s frustration is understandable. River gave local rival Tyler Denny two very close fights – one a technical draw – with the English title on the line.

Tyler dominated and hurt Pauls in a defence.

“To be honest, I thought they’d make me mandatory when Tyler vacated,” said River.

They didn’t – and instead River appears in a six rounder on Scott Murray’s next Excelsior Sporting Club show on Thursday, September 28. Getting a top operator such as Wilson-Bent to perform at the glitzy, up-market club represents another scoop for ambitious Scott.

An opponent has yet to be named for the six rounder, but I anticipate an overseas name.

River, who has lost only three of 18, is looking forward to the engagement.

“I’d spoken to Scott before,” he said, “and told him it would be great to be on one of his shows, then I got the call.

“I’ve never boxed at a black tie event before. It’s back to the old cigar days.”

Without the cigars, of course.

“I’m not one of those fighters who sits and waits for the big shows,” he said. “I’ll fight on small shows to keep busy.”

River admits, however, that he’s got bigger fish to fry.

“I want Brad Pauls for the English title,” he stressed. “Pauls lost easily to Tyler Denny, I lost to him on a split.

“I really want this fight to happen and I need it to happen. Of course, he’s still got to win the belt, but I believe I beat him comfortably and push on with the title. Even if I don’t get the opportunity to fight him, I still win the belt.”

River has certainly shown his worth against top opposition. The only men to beat him are Denny, who has proved a real force, supremely talented Hamzah Sheeraz and world class American amateur Austin Williams.

“I have a few losses,” River said, “but they’ve been against top lads. With Tyler, it was exciting from start to finish. I went in with Hamzah Sheeraz confident I could do the job and realised I was in with someone who will become a multiple weight world champion.

“I believe that with a full camp I would’ve beaten Ammo Williams. I had two weeks notice and wasn’t in the best place, training wise.”

River will enter the Excelsior ring with a lot of pent-up frustration. Once that has been released, it’s a matter of patiently waiting for the winner of Pauls and Frearson.

The Coventry contender hopes it’s Pauls.