Terry Flanagan vs. Derry Mathews: A Breakdown Ahead of the Fight in Liverpool
After a false start in February, Terry Flanagan will defend his WBO lightweight title against fellow Englishman Derry Mathews on March 12.
Despite being the challenger, Mathews has home advantage for the bout at the Echo Arena in Liverpool.
Flanagan—who will make the short trip from Manchester for the second defence of the belt—had to pull out of the original fight date of Feb. 13 due to a foot injury, per Sheldan Keay of the Manchester Evening News.
However, Mathews wasn't so sure about the fitness issue.
He accused his rival of making excuses, according to Peter Gilbert of Sky Sports: "He's trying to pull a fast one pretending he's injured but he's just delaying the inevitable; I'm taking that belt with both hands."
Now, though, the unbeaten Flanagan is fit to face his compatriot in a domestic dust-up that will have ramifications on the world stage.
Ahead of the big fight, Bleacher Report takes a look at the progress of both fighters so far in their careers, as well as offering a prediction.
Terry Flanagan: The Story so Far
Record: 29-0 (12 KOs)
Terry Flanagan made history when he became the first Englishman to win a world title at lightweight.
The 26-year-old achieved the honour in rather unusual circumstances, as he picked up the vacant WBO belt when opponent Jose Zepeda was forced to pull out of their bout in July 2015 due to a shoulder injury.
However, Zepeda's pain was Flanagan's gain.
Turbo has since defended the strap once, stopping Diego Magdaleno in Round 2 in October last year.
A Manchester City supporter who previously campaigned at super featherweight, Flanagan is a former British lightweight champion who boosted his profile by winning a Prizefighter tournament in 2012.
His run of victories in the knockout event, which was staged at Olympia in Liverpool, included a semi-final triumph over Mathews.
The unassuming southpaw has a career knockout ratio of 41 per cent, although his last six bouts have all ended inside the distance.
Terry Flanagan: Most Recent Fight
Flanagan's world-title win ended up being something of an anti-climax.
While he lifted the WBO title in his home city of Manchester, Turbo had barely warmed to the task in hand when his rival suffered a dislocated shoulder in Round 2.
His first defence didn't last long either, but that was because Flanagan flattened Diego Magdaleno in a hurry.
The challenger ended up playing right into his opponent's hands, as Bleacher Report's very own Brian Mazique pointed out in his recap: "Magdaleno was leaving himself open for some heavy shots with a wide stance, scarce head movement and inaccurate punching."
Flanagan weighed in with some big left hands on the American to force referee Terry O'Connor to step in with 22 seconds remaining in the round.
The impressive victory extended his perfect record, while also silencing those who said he had been fortunate to become a world champion in the first place.
Terry Flanagan: Stengths and Weaknesses
Like Ricky Hatton, his idol when he was growing up, Flanagan is a world champion who hails from Manchester.
And, just like The Hitman, he is also a fan of Manchester City Football Club. However, that is where the similarities end.
While Hatton was a pressure fighter known for marching forward and swarming opponents, the easy-to-watch Flanagan is comfortable boxing off either front or back foot.
The southpaw is tall (he stands at 5′9.5″) and carries power in his left hand, particularly with chopping hooks.
While long overlooked by rivals because he is such a tough nut to crack, Flanagan's recent run of success has opened doors at just the right time in his pro career.
The view from the other corner
Mathews has plenty of respect for the reigning champion, telling Chris Glover of World Boxing News: "I hope he brings his A game. I want to fight the best and I don't want excuses when I win. I can fight and I box so we can do it either way. It's a career's work going into one night's work. Terry has got everything, he's a southpaw, he's awkward, he's fast. It doesn't getting any bigger than this for me."
Derry Mathews: The Story so Far
Record: 38-9-2 (20 KOs)
Mathews will bring up a milestone when he takes on Flanagan—the bout will be his 50th as a pro.
Dirty Derry has had his share of setbacks during a see-saw career that has now spanned more than 13 years.
However, he has risen to the top in his 30s, becoming the WBA's interim champion in April 2015 by beating Tony Luis on points in Liverpool.
Mathews holds a win and a draw over reigning WBA champion Anthony Crolla on his record, while he has twice held the British title at 135 pounds.
He has also made two appearances in the Prizefighter series—campaigning in the eight-man knockout tournament at both super feather and lightweight—on his winding road to the top.
Before he joined the paid ranks, Mathews won the Amateur Boxing Association's bantamweight championship in 2002.
Derry Mathews: Most Recent Fight
Mathews defeated Tony Luis by unanimous decision to become an interim world champion.
However, the Canadian had not been the initial opponent scheduled to appear on the card in Liverpool. Actually, Luis was even second choice on the list.
The original plan had been for Mathews to take on Richar Abril for the full WBA lightweight title, only for the champion to pull out due to illness, per Dan Rafael of ESPN.com.
The next man up was set to be Ismael Barroso until the Venezuelan's visa problems put paid to that bout, according to Nick Parkinson of ESPN.co.uk.
Luis was not a bad stand-in at short notice, applying himself well to the challenge.
Yet his lack of power couldn't keep Mathews away, with the home favourite doing enough to get the nod from all three judges.
A pair of officials scored the bout 114-112 for Dirty Derry, with the other making it 115-112 in favour of the Liverpudlian.
Derry Mathews: Strengths and Weaknesses
Mathews is a tough warrior who will be desperate to seize his chance—at the age of 32, he may not get too many more if this one passes him by.
His knockout ratio stands at 41 per cent, but his power should not be overlooked.
He showed tremendous resilience to turn around a tricky situation against Tommy Coyle in July 2013, recording a knockout victory that secured him the Commonwealth title.
At 5'8.5", he gives away only an inch in height, yet his greater experience means he has faced all types of foes during his time as a pro.
The first meeting between the duo also offers few pointers of what might happen in the rematch. The Prizefighter format means the competitors only do battle over three rounds.
The view from the other corner
Flanagan acknowledges it will be a tough defence, per Gareth A Davies of the Telegraph: "He’s a warrior. When it’s time for me to put him away, he’ll go out fighting. I know I’ve got to be switched on for the whole fight. I’ve got to be cool, calm and collected. It’s going to be wild and hostile and I’ve got to stay focused. I know what to expect and know what’s going to happen."