DANNY ‘Hurricane’ Quartermaine has banked the rounds he needed ahead of the biggest night of his career.
The WBO and IBF European super-featherweight champion took a short-notice job against Jayro Fernando Duran (15-39-1) in Birmingham on Saturday and won all six rounds.
That was his first outing since his fight with Jack Bateson was ruled a technical draw last December, after heads clashed, and sets up his title defence against unbeaten Royston Barney-Smith in Bournemouth on July 26.
Coach Edwin Cleary said: “Danny needed to test his eye and get back in the ring.
“He had to take that fight. Danny couldn’t go into the Barney-Smith fight after so long out.
“We picked Duran as an opponent because he’s a southpaw like Royston – and Danny is a big fan of Roberto Duran!”
Quartermaine, ranked No 12 by the IBF and at 13 in the WBO listings, has taken the Barney-Smith fight after a possible rematch with Bateson fell through.
Quartermaine said: “We agreed a rematch – in the Midlands. He said to me: ‘It’s only fair you came to me so I will come to you’ and I was offered the fight in Doncaster.”
The first fight was stopped in the second round.
Quartermaine said: “We were told by Qais (Ashfaq) to be careful because when Jack is in trouble, he uses his head. I didn’t expect it to happen that early in the fight, but I could tell I was getting to him.
“Jack was cut on the top of his head when he leapt in in a panic, and I was cut under my eye, so it’s obvious who was to blame.
“I remember Qais saying afterwards: ‘I told you he would. He does it in sparring all the time.’”
