Rendall Munroe and Mathew Hatton return

11.08.08

RENDALL MUNROE will make the second defence of his European super-bantamweight title against Frenchman Arsen Martirosian at Nottingham’s Harvey Hadden Leisure Centre on Friday September 5.

The punching dustman has rapidly become one of Britain’s best-supported boxers since snatching the European crown with a shock points win over world rated Spaniard Kiko Martinez five months ago.

When the 28-year-old stopped Salem Bouaita in May hundreds of his fellow bin men packed the arena dressed in industrial yellow fluorescent jackets to support the working class lad.

And promoter Frank Maloney reckons southpaw Munroe will eventually become as popular as fellow Leicester boxers Chris Pyatt and Tony Sibson.

Maloney added: “Rendall is one of the few British fighters who can emerge as a superstar over the next 18 months.

“ He is becoming more and more popular in the Midlands, but could become a household name.

“ He is a down to earth kid and gets up at 4am each day to go running, then empties dustbins before going to gym in the afternoon.

“ Rendall’s fans have made big impression with the work jackets they wear and they are going to become as familiar at his fights as the sky blue of Ricky Hatton and the sombreros of Michael Gomez.”

Munroe said: “I’m certain I can back up the belief shown by Frank, my manager Mike Shinfield and trainer, Jason Shinfield.

“ It seems like yesterday I was making up the numbers on shows, but now I’m headlining on Sky Sports.

“ Martirosian will be tough but I would also like to get another defence in before I face the mandatory contender, Martinez in a rematch.”

Martirosian, 31, lost his professional debut to Nordine Barmou in January 2004, but has won 12 on the spin since and also avenged the sole blemish on his record.

Munroe’s only defeat in 16 professional fights came in April 2006 when he stepped out of his division at short notice and lost a narrow points verdict to Andy Morris in a British featherweight title challenge.

Meanwhile Ricky's younger sibling, Mathew Hatton makes his return under the new expert guidance of Lee Beard, the newly appointed trainer.

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