- Derry Mathews
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Derry Mathews Statistics Real name Derry Mathews Rated at Super featherweight / Featherweight / Lightweight Height 5 ft 8.5 in (1.74 m) Nationality 
EnglishBorn 23 September 1983
Liverpool,
EnglandStance Orthodox Boxing record Total fights 34 Wins 29 Wins by KO 15 Losses 5 Draws 0 No contests 0 Derry Mathews (born 23 September 1983) is an English lightweight boxer and former holder of the English and WBU Featherweight titles.[1] As an amateur he won the 2002 ABA Bantamweight championship.
Contents
Professional career
Mathews shot to notice in October 2006 when he defeated Stephen Foster to win the WBU Featherweight title which announced Mathews onto the domestic scene.[1] Successful defences of the title followed against John Simpson and Matthew Marsh before running into the Mongolian Choi Tseveenpurev in Bolton on April 5, 2008. Mathews hit the deck three times before finally being hit with a body shot that ended the fight on the bell to end the fifth round.[2] After the defeat to Tseveenpurev, Mathews came back to beat the Kenyan, John Gircharu over eight rounds in his home city of Liverpool showing that the defeat had not destroyed his confidence.[1]
Signing for Hayemaker
In August 2008, Mathews decided to split from the Frank Warren boxing stable and took the decision to join the newly formed Hayemaker Promotions. On speaking about the deal Mathews said; "The deal is unbelievable and Hayemaker Promotions are going to bring big things for me"[3] He was knocked out in the 9th round of his first fight with the fledgling promotional outfit. The fight against Martin Lindsay was on the undercard to Ryan Rhodes defence of his British light-middleweight title. Mathews had put Lindsay down in the 2nd round and was ahead on points, until a knockout brought any aspirations that Mathews may have had of fighting for the British title down.[4] Mathews second fight with Hayemaker in March 2009 took place in his home town of Liverpool. It also ended in disappointment as he suffered a stoppage defeat to Harry Ramogoadi.[5] Following the collapse of Setanta Sports and the loss of Hayemakers television deal, Mathews split from the promoter saying "It’s a shame but after the TV went the shows dried up. I have left on good terms though and have no issues with anybody at Hayemaker, but I have to look after my own career."[6]
Hatton Promotions
Mathews signed for Hatton Promotions following the collapse of his deal with Hayemaker, making his debut on 13 November 2009. Fighting in Stoke on the Matthew Hatton versus Lovemore N'dou undercard, Mathews challenged local man Scott Lawton only to lose in the sixth round after the referee deemed Mathews unfit to continue.[7][8] The defeat to Lawton represented Mathew's fourth defeat in five matches. On 17 July 2010 he returned to winning ways defeating journeyman Kristian Laight at the Fit City in Salford and followed the victory up with another win over Daniel Thorpe at the same venue on 25 September 2010.[1]
Prizefighter tournament
On 20 November 2010 Mathews entered the super featherweight installment of the Prizefighter series saying that he wanted to make the most of the opportunity. Amongst the other contestants in the tournament were two fighters he had previously lost to in Scott Lawton and Choi Tseveenpurev with Mathews saying "I want Choi up first to prove to myself and to other people that I can beat him. When I lost my world title to him I was only 22, I was only a boy, but I’m now a man and have learnt the hard way coming off a few defeats."[9] In the draw for the tournament Mathews took on Gary McArthur in the quarter finals, stopping him in the third round before meeting Choi in the semi-final with Mathews gaining a revenge victory in a close fought fight. Reaching the final Mathews met Gary Buckland only to lose with a second round stoppage. Speaking following the tournament Mathews described his performance against Choi as a "real war" and said of his opponent in the final, "Gary is a deserved winner but after how I performed tonight, I know I have more to offer the game.”[10]
Comeback
On 22 January 2011 Mathews challenged Scott Lawton once more, this time at the Olympia in Liverpool gaining a revenge win over the man from Stoke to lift the IBO International title at lightweight. Winning on all three of the judges scorecards, the fight went the full 12 rounds with Mathews dominating the first 8 rounds only for Lawton to come back into the fight towards the end culminating in a final round tear up.[11] Mathews followed the win up with a challenge for the English lightweight title beating Amir Unsworth with a 1st round stoppage again at the Olympia on 2 April 2011. Two more stoppage victories following against George Watson and Stephen Jennings.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d e Boxrec | Derry Mathews professional record
- ^ MATHEWS LOSES WBU TITLE, Sporting Life
- ^ Mathews signs for Hayemaker
- ^ Setanta Boxing | Rhodes vs Coyle report with undercard news
- ^ BBC Sport | Mathews fighting for his career
- ^ Liverpool Echo | Price and Mathews leave Hayemaker
- ^ BBC Sport | I can mix with the best - Lawton
- ^ BBC Sport | Mathews looking to reignite career
- ^ Liverpool Echo | Derry mathews over the moon to be given prizefighter chance
- ^ Prizefighter | Buckland stuns British champ before claiming prizefighter crown
- ^ Liverpool Echo | Derry Mathews beats Scott Lawton to win IBO International lightweight title
External links
- Professional boxing record for Derry Mathews from BoxRec
- Profile at BritishBoxing.net
Categories:- 1983 births
- Living people
- English boxers
- Prizefighter contestants
- Sportspeople from Liverpool
- British boxing biography stubs
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