Paul Butler: "I've seen how to exploit Ryan Walker"
Paul Butler makes his highly-anticipated return to the ring when he takes on Ryan Walker on Sunday's huge #MTKFightNight – and the Ellesmere Port man feels he has seen enough to exploit his opponent's weaknesses.
Former world champion Butler (31-2, 15 KOs) faces Walker (11-2, 2 KOs) on a huge card at Production Park Studios in Wakefield, live in the US on ESPN+ in association with Top Rank and worldwide on IFL TV.
Walker was in action against Lee McGregor during an action-packed #MTKFightNight in August, and Butler has revealed that he accepted this weekend's fight after watching just one minute of that bout.
Butler said:"I’m buzzing that MTK Global have got me out so quick. Before I signed I didn’t think I’d be boxing this year, so I’m over the moon they’ve got me out.
"I don’t know too much about Ryan Walker. I looked through his record and watched about 1 minute of him against Lee McGregor and accepted the fight. From what I’ve seen of him, he’s a game kid and will come to win, so he’s not coming to make the numbers up.
"I’ll sit down and watch the full fight of him and McGregor a few times before I get in there on fight night. With me only watching a minute and accepting it, I’ve seen enough to exploit.
"Fighting in a empty arena doesn’t phase me in the slightest. I’m going there to do a job and in good fashion. When I’m fighting in big arenas there is only a handful of voices I hear that I take notice of anyway, and that’s my corner and me dad."
IBF #3
Butler is currently ranked in the third spot with the international Boxing Federation, just behind IBF #1 Filipino Michael Dasmarinas. The reigning IBF bantamweight titlist is Japanese 'Monster' Inoue Naoya.
"Hopefully this fight pushes me up to number 2 with the IBF as I’m making championship weight. Then we will see what happens from there."
Also on the bill on Sunday is a superb fight between two unbeaten fighters, as Michael McKinson takes on Martin Harkin, while recent world title challenger Jay Harris defends his Commonwealth flyweight title against Marcel Braithwaite. Elsewhere, Jack Rafferty goes up against Tom Hill, Jordan Reynolds makes his professional debut against Scott James, Lewie Edmondson faces Andy Bishop, and Paul McCullagh enters the paid ranks.
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