Boxing: Monte Carlo card a worthwhile gamble for British trio

Flying under the radar of Anthony Joshua’s world heavyweight title defence last week and Deontay Wilder’s own championship bout this coming Saturday is a potential cracker of a card in Monte Carlo with plenty of British interest.

Hours before Wilder defends his WBC strap at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, Matchroom presents a card with Jamie McDonnell defending his WBA bantamweight title, Scott Quigg competing in a WBA featherweight eliminator and Dereck Chisora aiming to recover the European heavyweight belt.

All three know that a strong showing is vital if they’re to enjoy big fights in 2018.

Chisora feels ending the unbeaten record of Germany’s Agit Kabayel will land him more of the type of attractions that turned him into one of the most controversial boxers on the planet – starting with a rematch with London rival Dillian Whyte following their epic battle in December.

“I need to get this fight done and look good,” said Chisora. “I haven’t had a big fight since the Whyte fight and I’ve been pushing for that rematch but it’s not happened and not looking likely any time soon.

“This came up and I think that it was meant to be for Dillian but he was too scared to fight this boy, so I took it.”

Whyte defeated Robert Helenius in Cardiff last weekend in an eliminator for the WBC title held by Wilder.

“Dillian won at the weekend, I’m going to win, so let’s do it, there’s nothing stopping us,” said Chisora. “But you never know what is going to get in the way, this is boxing.

“I want to fight for a world title too. We don’t know why Joseph Parker is holding a world title. How is Wilder still a world champion? Anthony Joshua is doing well, he fights twice a year and puts on a great show. The other two guys are just lucky. They were there at the right time.

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“Parker boxed for a world title without TV – that’s embarrassing and they didn’t sell any tickets. That tells you everything.

“My plans with Eddie include fighting in America, keeping fit and training hard and making the fights that I want to happen. Wilder fights Stiverne, AJ and Dillian have just boxed, Jarrell Miller fights next weekend – the heavyweight game is bubbling up right now, it’s buzzing.”

Quigg takes on Oleg Yefimovych as he continues his journey towards world title glory in a second weight class. He actually wants life as a featherweight to culminate the same way as his time in the super-bantams, with a showdown against Carl Frampton.

This time, of course, he plans a different outcome.

“Oleg’s highly ranked in the WBA so [a win is] going to shoot me right up there,” explained the Bury fighter. “I’ve never boxed in Monte Carlo so it’s another new experience and one I am looking forward to.

“The fights I want are Abner Mares, Santa Cruz. I believe they’re going to be fighting early March or sometime in April, I’d love the winner of that. I want to be involved in big fights, like the big fight with Carl Frampton.

“He’s changed his trainer, he’s changed his team, and it might give him that spark back that he was lacking.

“I came up short but I believe I’ve made massive improvements already, learned from that. Those are the fights I want to be involved in. Anybody who’s got a world title at 126lbs, they are the fights I want to be involved in.

“I believe I can beat him, so I would love that fight, but there is Leo Santa Cruz, Abner Mares, Oscar Valdez, Lee Selby. I want to be involved in any of those big fights.

“On my day, I turn up 100 per cent, I believe I can beat every one of them.

“He’s the only person to beat me, so obviously I want a rematch. If it didn’t happen it would be through no fault of me not wanting it. I want to put the record straight.”

McDonnell, on the other hand, goes in as a reigning world titlist but hopes to shake off Liborio Solis for good in Monte Carlo to move onto bigger things.

McDonnell defeated Solis in November by scores of 117-111, 116-112 and 115-113, cards that prompted Solis’ team to appeal the result and the WBA to order a rematch.

McDonnell was disappointed that some thought the challenger had actually won the fight and knows a more decisive victory this time around will lead to a big 2018.

“I thought I boxed well against him,” said McDonnell. “I knew it would be a tough fight but not as hard as it ended up being, I had to dig in a bit more but I was in control.

“I heard a lot of comments about it being tight and I was disappointed in them, I felt I ran the fight, there were tough spells and he caught me with some right hands and had good work rate, but I dealt with him and never felt in danger and he didn’t hurt me. I thought I won by three or four rounds.

“I also know that I fought the wrong fight. I was sat on the ropes too much and I needed to be busier. I won’t be taking any chances. I want to go in there, look good and get the job done. A stoppage would be great.

“People can see it differently but I believe I cruised through it, then I came out and some people thought he nicked it. That gets you down but people are allowed their opinions – this time there will be no doubt about me being the winner.

“I’ve been absolutely flying in this training camp and I don’t think I’ve ever been on track with the weight as good as I have been.”