WEIGHTING GAME OVER
Butler feels strong
PAUL BUTLER says that beating Stuart Hall again shouldn’t be a problem now he’s all grown up.
The pair face each other in a rematch at Liverpool’s Echo Arena tonight with the winner set to be handed a shot at the WBA bantamweight title.
Champion Jamie McDonnell defends that title against Liborio Solis next month.
Trouble
Butler beat Hall in 2014 on points to claim the IBF bantamweight title before immediately moving back to super-flyweight for a failed world title challenge against Zolani Tete.
He never felt comfortable in the 8st 6lb division, though.
After moving back up last year, the 28-year-old says he now feels he belongs in the heavier division and that means trouble for Hall.
Butler said: “I’m feeling very strong, I feel like a bantamweight now. When I stood next to him when I faced him before I felt like a young boy fighting a man. Now when we face each other, I feel every bit as big and strong against him.
“I was a baby then, only a super flyweight.
“It’s definitely man against man now and, more importantly, it’s bantamweight fights bantamweight.”
Now Butler feels at home in the division, he aims to dominate it. Should he win tonight then promot- er Eddie Hearn expects a fight with McDonnell to be “easy to make” for early next year.
Then there’s a possible unification clash with IBF champion Ryan Burnett if the Belfast fighter beats WBA ‘super’ champion Zhanat Zhakiyanov next month.
“In the bantamweight division it’s wide open,” Butler said.
“I’ve always wanted to unify a division. You could say that is my main goal now. If I come through my next two fights then the Burnett fight would be a huge one.” ¬ TONY BELLEW and David Haye will be warned to behave themselves after confirming their rematch for December 17 at the O2.
Bellew won their first clash in March but Haye was fined after punching him at a press conference in the build-up.