Felix Cash set for tough challenge after over a year out of the ring
Unbeaten powerhouse Felix Cash (16-0, 10KOs) last stepped into the ring over a year ago, winning a close points decision over Portugal’s Celso Neves in December 2022.
The ex-WBC international middleweight champion recently paired up with famed trainer Adam Booth and appears to be gearing towards a 2024 return to competition.
Speaking to BoxingScene, Eddie Hearn, current promoter of the British boxer has revealed that Felix Cash has been ordered to challenge for the EBU middleweight belt.
“He’s been ordered to fight Tyler Denny. It’s a great fight and that’s the fight we’re in. There are negotiations going on for that. It could be purse bids as well, we’ll see but that’s what’s next.
Promotional company BOXXER has made an offer for the fight. It is unclear if Hearn’s Matchroom will attempt to make a counteroffer for the proposed bout.
Hearn appeared interested in attempting to acquire the rights to the event, revealing that he doesn’t feel BOXXER are overly interested in Tyler Denny (18-2-3, 1KO).
“With the greatest of respect, in my opinion they’re not overly invested in Tyler Denny. Felix is good. He went through a tough time, personally. He’s overcome that now and he’s training with Adam Booth.
“He’s a very talented fighter. When you think about the performance he put in against Denzel Bentley, he was on the verge of fighting for a world title after that so we feel like he’s got a lot of potential.”
Denny will be making his first defence of the title, having claimed the title in a commendable performance against Matteo Signani, forcing a stoppage in the eighth due to a nasty cut over the Italian’s left eye.
The win marked Denny’s first stoppage victory of his career, with his 17 previous successes all being decided by the judges’ scorecards.
Cash’s trainer, Adam Booth, believes that there is no point in a tune-up fight, his fighter’s reputation exceeds him, and an easy return to the ring is not an option.
“Unfortunately he’s not in that position. He’s kind of a bit too well regarded for his own good here, where he’s been nominated for the European, and we can either take it, or not take it – and take a meaningless fight in order that he and I get used to each other.
“But we’re building a really good understanding in the gym, there’s plenty of time to get some good, challenging sparring in as well. He’s a good fighter – a well-rounded fighter. I’m a good coach, we know what we’re doing, and so we’re happy to go straight to that European title fight.”
Speaking on Tyler Denny, Booth divulged that he has seen the 32-year-old up close and is well aware of the threat he brings to the table.
“I’ve seen his fights, the fight with the kid from Coventry [River Wilson-Bent] and he came sparring in my gym with Abass Baraou so I know him, I watched him win the European, so I think I understand the challenge at hand.”
No date for the fight has been proposed, though it is likely that a summer showdown is on the cards. Denny only claimed the title in December, therefore it would be improbable to expect him to return to the ring over the next couple of months.