By Matt Bozeat
EDDIE Hearn has been informed he might be smiling once more quickly. The Matchroom chief was on the receiving finish of a 5-0 whitewash from arch-rivals Queensberry of their ‘5 vs 5’ match in Saudi Arabia final weekend.
If Conah Walker is true, Hearn will even bear in mind 2024 because the 12 months he staged the home struggle of the 12 months.
Walker can have some say within the matter. The struggle he’s tipping to high the polls is his 10-rounder towards Lewis Crocker in Birmingham on Saturday, June 22.
“We’re each thrilling, come ahead fighters,” stated the Wolverhampton welterweight, “and it’s a 50-50 struggle.”
Maybe it is going to high his win over Cyrus Pattinson final August?
Within the rapid aftermath of Walker’s three-knockdown, eight-round beatdown, Hearn informed broadcasters DAZN it had been “among the best fights I’ve ever seen.”
Walker says Hearn “was on his ft going mad. His lad was getting crushed up.”
The outcome gave Hearn choices on Walker and meant he needed to rethink his plan to match Pattinson with Lewis Ritson in a North East derby.
Walker wasn’t fancied to spoil these plans given he was coming off a loss, down at 140lbs to Kane Gardner.
“The losses have benefitted me,” stated the 29-year-old, who’s co-managed by Mick Carney and Errol Johnson and skilled by ex-pro Richie Ghent.
“I’ve received alternatives due to them. They assume that as a result of I’ve been crushed, I’ll roll over. The alternative is the case. The losses have made me extra hungry.
“Earlier than the Pattinson struggle, I used to be saying: ‘Don’t e book a struggle after me.’ Nobody was beating me that evening.”
The discuss now could be of an all-Irish conflict between Crocker and Paddy Donovan.
Donovan stopped Ritson in 9 rounds on the Jack Catterall-Josh Taylor II present and Walker stated: “The commentators had been saying that Donovan-Crocker is a large conflict in Eire. They’re overlooking me once more.”
Walker and Crocker ran into one another after they boxed on the identical invoice in Belfast in January.
Belfast, UK: Lewis Crocker v Jose Felix, WBO Inter-Continental Welterweight Title. 27 January 2024. Image By Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing.
After Pattinson was dominated out of their rematch with an eye fixed damage, Walker received a late name to face Welsh champion Lloyd Germain (9-0) and compelled a third-round stoppage, whereas Crocker took out Jose Felix (40-6-1) with a trademark left hook within the fifth.
“I sized him (Crocker) up within the carry and he seemed like a frail boy,” stated Walker, who has a one-year-old son Leo with accomplice Isabelle White.
“I do know he’s tight on the weight. He weighed in heavy for that and so they stated he solely had 5 weeks to organize. I solely had two weeks and I made the load.”
Walker says his factors loss to Manchester mover Gardner in entrance of the Channel 5 cameras final March satisfied him that 140lbs isn’t his weight.
“I didn’t have the legs,” stated Walker. “I took an excessive amount of out of myself getting all the way down to 140lbs. My complete profession individuals have been saying I must be at 140 lbs, however it didn’t repay. I felt flat main as much as the struggle and flat on struggle evening.”
Up at 147lbs, solely Samuel Antwi has crushed Walker, on an in depth unanimous factors resolution for the English belt in Cardiff in February, 2022.
Walker thought he deserved higher than to lose by one, two and three factors on the scorecards and has seen Antwi go on to win British honours up at 154lbs.
“I really feel I’m higher ready for this,” stated Walker of his conflict with Crocker.
“I fought unbeaten fighters in my fifth and sixth fights (Nathan Bendon and Ohio Kain Iremiren) and I’ve fought for Midlands and English titles.
“He hasn’t fought a fully-fledged welterweight who involves have it.
“He seemed good towards Tyrone (McKenna in a 10-round factors win final December) as a result of he had the possibility to maneuver and punch. He wants these gaps to generate his energy and he gained’t get them towards me.”
Walker and Ricky Hatton appeared to be the proper match after Conah turned professional in 2018 following a run to the semi-finals of the Elite Championship, the place he was crushed by Harvey Lambert.
Walker had first appeared on Hatton’s radar on the finals of the 2017 Growth Championships in Solihull.
Hatton was there to see son Campbell win junior honours and the well-supported Walker was in usually sturdy temper as he added the Class B title at 69kgs to the 75kgs title he gained two years beforehand.
“Turning professional with Ricky created an important storyline for myself,” stated Walker.
“It was an important platform, however there was an excessive amount of travelling (to Hatton’s gymnasium in Hyde, Larger Manchester) and me and my accomplice (Isabelle) had been pushing for a child.”
Walker headed dwelling and in his first struggle with ex-pro Ghent in his nook, he gained the Midlands Space welterweight title by outpointing Levi Ferguson (5-1) in Sheffield in Could, 2021.
“We’ve got had a few losses (since then),” stated Walker, “however I by no means considered leaving him. They had been all the way down to me and I discovered from them.
“I used to be going into fights too hot-headed. I had smoke popping out of my ears!
“I needed to get in there and kill them as a substitute of enjoyable into the struggle and breaking them down.”
That model has made Walker common. He expects to have 700 supporters behind him when he faces Crocker on the Resorts World Enviornment later this month and Walker is satisfied they’ll get worth for cash.
“It’s received struggle of the 12 months written throughout it,” he stated.
