Boxers work hard in bout preparation

An eight-week training camp, sparring in the United States and some of their toughest training sessions have two Bunbury boxers ready for big fights tomorrow night.

Nathaniel “Cheeky” May and Alex “Sweethands” Hanan are set to compete at CDL Boxing’s Western Alliance 21 event at the Empire Function Centre, three months after they last stepped into the ring.

May is number 12 in the IBF featherweight rankings and is set to take on Fillipino Roman Canto (12-8-3) as he seeks an 18th professional win.

The 21-year-old will not defend any of his titles, but this has not stopped him from being motivated.

“It is hard, but you have to keep active and hopefully move up in the ranks,” he said.

“I am hoping to break in to the top 10 of the rankings.”

Denning Boxing Gym coach Peter Stokes remains confident in his prized fighter.

“Roman is a good boxer, he likes coming at the body hard,” Stokes said.

“Basically, Cheeky has to be a bit more defensive on his body shots.

“Every time he throws he needs to take a half step back and then go in for the win. I think Cheeky should put him away.”

The next step for May is scheduled to be a championship defence of his Australasian or Pan Pacific Featherweight title at a special event in Macau later this year.

Hanan will take on fellow New Zealander Daniel Maxwell (6-46-2) in what is set to be a battle of speed versus the latter’s power.

It will be the 18-year-old’s second professional fight, after he knocked out Fahmongkol Liangprasert in October last year.

“I have been concentrating on changing from amateur to professional fighting,” he said.

“We are just going to out box this guy.

“Step back, hit a left hand then a right upper-cut. We will cut all the angles as he stands quite stationary.

“He throws a lot of big shots, so I need to block and counter him.”

Stokes is confident Hanan has what it takes to remain undefeated.

“We have concentrated on movement and good angles,” Stokes said.

“Uppercuts and body shots are probably the way to stop him. Straight punches don’t seem to bother him so much.

“We will need to work underneath him because he then gets frustrated and makes mistakes.”