UNBEATEN South Queensferry featherweight Paul Appleby aims to set himself up nicely for a showdown with British featherweight champion John Simpson by seeing off new opponent Junias Amunyela in Glasgow's Kelvin Hall tonight.
Amunyela, a 25-year-old Namibian, is a late replacement for Frenchman Samir Kasmi, who had to withdraw from the bout through injury. While Appleby is undefeated in his first ten pro bouts, Amunyela has a fine record of his own, with nine victories an
d just one defeat to his credit in his ten outings.
But Appleby has plenty of incentives to put a further blemish on the African's fine record.
"This Namibian guy has never been stopped in eight fights but I aim to become the first guy to stop him," said Appleby. "I also want to become the first-ever guy to stop Simpson inside the distance and also be the youngest-ever Scot to win a British boxing title and Lonsdale Belt. To do that I've got to beat Amunyale in the Kelvin Hall to keep alive my challenge to Simpson later this year.
"That isn't going to be easy as Simpson only needs another notch on his present Lonsdale Belt to keep it, so he will make me fight hard, although this Namibian, I've been told, isn't a pushover either. I've had great sparring with (WBO Interim champion] Alex Arthur and I'm really up for this fight."
And Appleby's ring coach, Steve McGuire, is confident that his man will beat Amunyela and then go on to floor Simpson.
He said: "Paul is a naturally heavy body puncher, but his body punching will be even more ferocious as I've been working with him on throwing his destructive left hook to the ribs. I back him to beat anybody just now, given his self-belief and fitness."
Appleby's manager, Tommy Gilmour, added: "I've told Paul that, after what another Namibian, Ali Nuumbembe, did to my former British welterweight champion, Kevin Anderson, in a Commonwealth title fight, he shouldn't take this guy Amunyali too lightly, but I do expect Paul to win."
Further backing for Appleby to win both his warm-up bout in Glasgow tonight and also win a Lonsdale Belt has come from veteran Leith Victoria coach Joe Fortune. He added: "I recently supervised a full 12-round sparring match between my former protege, Alex Arthur, and Paul Appleby at the Leith Vics' gym and Appleby really impressed me.
"While I have great respect for Simpson, I honestly think that Appleby, who is really fired up just now, will be too strong for him and I can't see him losing this warm-up bout tonight."
WBO Interim super-featherweight champ Alex Arthur agreed with his old amateur coach Fortune, saying: "I've sparred loads of hard rounds with Paul – he reminds me of myself aged 20."
Thetop of tonight's bill is the return British welterweight title clash between defending champion from Paisley Kevin McIntyre and Buckhaven's Kevin Anderson. Another eastern boxer on the bill is unbeaten Glenrothes super-middleweight Steve McGuire jnr who faces Wales' Jamie Ambler.
