Wirral boxer Brett Flournoy is to fight on the British leg of Ricky Hatton’s bout with Paul Malignaggi

Oct 1 2008 by Philip Kirkbride, Birkenhead News

BIRKENHEAD boxer Brett Flournoy will head up the curtain raiser to Ricky Hatton’s stateside showdown with Paul Malignaggi in November.

The 29-year-old welterweight will square up against Doncaster’s Jason Rushton for the Central Area Title in the British leg of Hatton’s November 22 mega-fight.

Although the venue is to be confirmed, Flournoy’s bout will certainly whet the appetite of the Sky Box Office viewers ahead of the Hitman’s IBO contest at the MGM Grand Casino in Las Vegas.

Brett said: “This will be my first title fight as a professional and a stepping stone to an English or British title fight next summer.

“A win would move me from the top 20 or 25 in the country into the top 10.

“I’m fighting Jason Rushden, a decent lad and decent boxer, who has come down from light middleweight. But as long as I am 100 per cent right, then I don’t care who I’m in the ring with.”

Brett, who in January took over the running of the Brown Cow pub in Bromborough Road, revealed that he is preparing for this fight far better than his previous contest.

Despite beating Vladimir Borovski on points in May, the Wirral man believes he did insufficient training – a mistake he will not repeat against Rushton.

He added: “I’ve taken two months off and last week, I moved up to Preston for my training with Karl Ince. Before the Borovski fight, I only had three weeks training.”