Denny, Clarke out to show they’re still a force on title scene

Denny and Ahorgah face the cameras. Pics: Lawrence Lustig/Boxxer

BOTH Tyler Denny and Frazer Clarke attempt to erase the memory of early title defeats on Sunday’s huge Boxxer Resorts World show.

Both face Ghanian opposition who, judging by their performances at Friday’s conference, merit the label eccentric.

Middleweight Denny’s opponent, Elvis “The Soldier” Ahorgah, seemed a particularly excitable individual, banging his fist on the table and bellowing: “Relax and expect the best from The Soldier – once a soldier, always a soldier.

“You are dealing with a soldier,” the African repeated. “I’m not here to joke. If you see my eyes, you see Wesley Snipes. Tyler, be ready!”

The use of an interpreter couldn’t prevent heavyweight Ebenezer Tetteh’s muddled message from being lost in translation. Burton-on-Trent’s Clarke, an Olympic bronze medallist, appeared bemused.

Tetteh, from what I gathered, wanted Frazer to taste a Ghanian dish called kenkey with hot peppers. I don’t really know why.

He insisted he’d faced better boxers than Clarke, but couldn’t name them.

Importantly, both the 36-year-old and Ahorgah, 24, are worthy opponents for two Midlands fighters who are on the road back after suffering crushing stoppages.

In September Rowley Regis’ Denny, a fine southpaw craftsman, lost his European middleweight title to world class puncher Hamzah Sheeraz. The 33-year-old was halted in two rounds.

In October, 33-year-old Clarke tasted defeat for the first time when, with the British title on the line, Fabio Wardley halted him in the opening round.

Seven months earlier the pair had served up one of the most thrilling domestic heavyweight battles seen in years. The epic slugging match was declared a draw.

Denny, a man who has climbed from small hall shows to stadiums, wore a “seen it all before” expression as Ahorgah went through his routine. “The guy’s mad,” he concluded.

Elvis, he maintained, will leave the building on Sunday a beaten man. “I will punch him up, in the ring I will show him there are levels. In the ring I will be a level above,” Denny said.

“I’m not taking him easy. He’s going to be game, but he’s going to be dancing to my tune in the ring.”

There are no hangovers from the Sheeraz loss. “I’ve got no questions about myself – other people may have some, but I’ll answer those on Sunday.”

Ahorgah can certainly punch, with 12 of his 13 wins coming inside distance. He gave British super-middleweight champ Callum Simpson some uncomfortable moments last February before being halted in the fifth

But Ahorgah is raw, wild and woolly, easy to hit and two of his three losses have come by TKO.

Clarke and Tetteh share a smile before Sunday night’s storm

I felt for Clarke, articulate and intelligent, who was plunged into a public pre-fight conversation that bordered on the surreal.

“He will show Frazer what is to eat kenkey and hot peppers,”  Tetteh’s interpreter announced.

Away from the kitchen, Tetteh has enough to turn up the heat in the ring. He’s lost only two of 25, registered 20 stoppages and took Dillian Whyte into the seventh round.

Clarke soon adopted a “whatever!” approach and concentrated on the contest at hand, rather than international cuisine.

Frazer admitted the Wardley defeat has made some doubt his world class credentials: his own self-confidence remains rock solid.

He said: “There probably is a question mark from weak people, people who are not real fighters.

“I’m fit and firing and feeling good. When I signed up to be a fighter at 11-years-old, I knew the risks that go with it. I want to put a show on on Sunday and will put a show on. I’m here to do what I know I can do and do the things I’ve been working on in the gym.

“I’m in the right shape, the right mind frame. Frazer Clarke wins, stoppage.”