Deion Jumah will be determined to make a successful defence of his English cruiserweight title against Sam Hyde this weekend in Wythenshawe, Greater Manchester.
Hyde, the challenger, hails from nearby Sale in Cheshire has registered two back-to-back stoppage victories after suffering a punishing eighth-round stoppage defeat to Richard Riakporhe in November 2018 at the Manchester Arena.
However, the bloody nature of the Riakporhe defeat, following a furious eighth-round onslaught from his Londoner counterpart, belies the success Hyde was having throughout the fight against Riakporhe, who is managed by Dillian Whyte and is regarded as one of Britain’s most heavy-handed, formidable cruiserweight hopeful.
Indeed, it appeared as though Hyde was winning the fight up until that point, successfully frustrating Riakporhe with his movement and busy approach, before Riakporhe’s frenzied eighth-round rally caused significant bruising to Hyde’s head and prompted Joe Gallagher to intervene for the well-being fighter.
Jumah would have no doubt been aware of how the Riakporhe-Hyde progressed and will certainly be looking to deliver a relatively more composed and comfortable display to make a statement in a one of British boxing’s most rich divisions.
After turning professional in 2013, Jumah has endured his fair share of frustration and knows that beating Hyde in style asserts himself as one of the most relevant players in the Cruiserweight context, en route to potential meetings with Riakporhe himself in addition to Lawrence Okolie.
Article by: Navi Singh
Follow Navi on Twitter at: @DarkMan________