Shabir: they can run and hide, but need to know I’m coming!

Shabir Haidary…seen two TV dates fall through, says his team

IT appears others have taken on board my assessment of Afghan Cobra Shabir Haidary as a “special talent”. As a result, the super-feather is in danger of being avoided like the proverbial plague.

It’s understandable. What prospect would want a piece of Gloucester based Haidary, a man who possesses trip-wire reflexes and hits with venom?

I was at the Excelsior Sporting Club, Cannock, last November and watched him demolish durable and dangerous Jahfieus Faure in three rounds. That was Haidary’s 10th straight win.

Birmingham manager Jon Pegg and trainer Jon Pitman have now vented their frustration on social media, informing followers the 26-year-has been offered two high-profile bouts on TV. In both cases, prospective, unnamed opponents didn’t want it.

Pegg wrote: “To be honest, I was hoping, with all this 50 50 matching that’s being talked about, that some of these ‘prospects’ might fancy the fights the promoters offered us. Unfortunately, the ambition doesn’t quite match the social media reputation.

“It will come. Shabir has said yes to proper fights with all of the TV promoters and they are as frustrated as him.”

Pitman said: “Shabir has been offered some big fights on televised platforms Boxxer (Sky) and Matchroom (DAZN). Both times the answer is a straight yes and, yet again, it goes to the other team and it comes back with a no - they don't want it. To be honest, it's understandable because they are going to get beat.”

Haidary has taken a philosophical approach to the setbacks.

He told me: “They can run and hide for so long, but they need to know I’m coming. I’ve got to the point in my life, I’ve seen so many ups and downs and disappointments in things that didn’t turn out my way, where it doesn’t bother me.

“Short notice and I was there, 50-50 fights with the golden boys and I’m a nobody and they’re turning me down. I think I’m getting a reputation as a fighter to avoid because I’ve been through it the hard way, but I don’t think people realise my full potential.

“I actually don’t blame them for not taking the fights, I think they have a smart team around them. I know what would happen if they took them.

“But sooner or later they will have to face me. And the later they face me, the tougher it is going to be for them because I’ll be more dangerous.”