Martin Ward one step away from world title shot

Martin Ward

SUPER-featherweight Martin Ward is closing in on a world title shot. He is set for a final eliminator for the IBF title against Azinga Fuzile on the May 29 Devin Haney-Jorge Linares bill in Las Vegas.

โ€œItโ€™s been a long, hard route. Heโ€™s finally one step away now from his shot at the title. He was a little bit unlucky really not getting the vacant shot,โ€ his trainer Tony Sims told Boxing News. โ€œHe won the Lonsdale belt outright. Heโ€™s won the Commonwealth. Heโ€™s won the European, he had that defeat against [James] Tennyson and heโ€™s bounced back with a few wins.โ€

โ€œThe night he fought Tennyson, he had Tennyson on the floor, he was unlucky not to get him out of there,โ€ Sims continued. โ€œHe [Tennyson] is like the biggest super-featherweight youโ€™ve ever seen. He can bang with both hands and heโ€™s a big animal. Itโ€™s one of those things, he got done by him [but Ward] is a world class fighter.โ€

Joe Cordina, a fighter at the same weight in the same gym, is also highly ranked. โ€œJoe obviously gained a lot of experience sparring Martin,โ€ Tony said. โ€œFunnily enough Martin turned round to me and said I feel like Joe coming to the gym has brought myself on even further. Joe was a top amateur when he turned pro and they both feel like they brought each other on a lot. Iโ€™m thankful to have two world class fighters at the same weight in the gym sparring together.โ€

They have helped each other. โ€œItโ€™s a very difficult weight to win a world title, youโ€™ve got Gervonta Davis and [Oscar] Valdez, itโ€™s a very, very difficult weight,โ€ Sims added. โ€œJamel Herring showed what a good fighter he was as well when dismantling Frampton.

โ€œWith the four world titles, although Iโ€™ve got two world class fighters in the same weight, luckily enough they can both take different routes.โ€

Read Tony Sims on what next for Conor Benn here

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