Billy set for his biggest test
BILLY LE POULLAIN faces arguably the toughest fight of his career so far this weekend as he takes on three-time ABA champion Martin Stead at Beau Sejour.
The first Amalgamated Open Show of 2017 has at least a dozen bouts scheduled, but none are tastier than the top-of-the-bill showdown on Saturday night.
Because while Stead – from the Army – has only just recently returned from a two-year break from boxing, his pedigree before that sabbatical is unquestionable.
He won three successive national ABA lightweight (60kg) titles from 2008 to 2010, a championship previously won by the likes of Anthony Crolla and Frankie Gavin.
Despite now stepping all the way up to welterweight (69kg) upon his return, the 33-year-old's vast experience and boxing CV – nearly 170 career bouts and boxed for England on several occasions – marks him out as a big threat.
'I look at somebody like Tom Duff and he hit his peak as a boxer at 37 and many others have been the same, so this lad is only 33 and can maybe even still get better,' said Le Poullain.
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