Dunlop: We can gauge how good ‘Tenny’ is after title fight with former Frampton foe

Fight weeks has finally arrived for the 21 year old “Assassin” James Tennyson as he faces the biggest test of his career since he first laced up a pair of boxing gloves as a seven year old boy.

Tennyson now faces a live opponent in 27 year old Scottish & Celtic Champion Kris Hughes on Bellshill, Glasgow.

“Badger” as he is better known of the professional circuit is very talented and holds the number 3 ranking with the British Boxing Board of Control after a victory over the then Undefeated Scottish Champion Jon Slowey who was 17-0 at the time.

Many will remember the battle he had with World IBF Super Bantamweight Champion Carl Frampton a few years ago for the Commonwealth Title before he was stopped in the seventh round.

James Tennyson knows that only an impressive victory over the Glaswegian will be good enough to throw him on the ladder of stardom and a shot at the British Featherweight Title.

Speaking with Tennyson’s Manager & Promoter Mark H Dunlop he explained:

“James gave up a succesful amateur career after 3 Irish Junior Titles, and Ulster Final and a last 4 in the Irish Seniors to pursue a professional career because he was in Limbo as there was no longer a featherweight Division in the amateurs and he was too big for bantam and not big enough for lightweight.

“He always had a professional style so made the crossover with ease and is blessed with a KO punch in either hand so it has set him in good stead during his first 3 years as a pro.

“It’s not hard to gauge how good he can be considering Carl Frampton only turned Pro at 21 and faced Hughes as a maturing 24 year old Saturday night will answer a lot of questions.”

Many boxing critics are divided on the outcome for Saturday night which makes the fight even more exciting, some feel it’s come to soon and Hughes will be to clever for Tennyson, while others believe the 21 year old Poleglass Prospect has the power to cause an upset inside the distance.

The undercard features two other cracking title fights at Lightweight when the unbeaten pair James “The Future” Fryers (6-0) & Mark Morris (2-0) fight for the vacant BUI Celtic Nations Title over 8×3 Rounds & Paul “Hylo Hyland Jnr (5-0) v Imre Nagy (11-5) of Hungary for the International Masters Lightweight “Bronze Title” over 8×3 rounds.

The remainder of the undercard is full of exciting prospects including Irish Light Middleweight Champion Dee Walsh (10-0) Daniel “Insane” McShane (9-0) Tyrone “El Gatto” McKenna (6-0) & Joe “The Faith” Hillerby (9-2).

The weigh in will be held at the Kennedy Centre on Friday afternoon at 12.30pm

Tickets available on the door on Saturday night VIP £50.00 Ringside £40.00 Unreserved £35.00. Or Telephone 07712 473905

Joe Hillerby v Dee Taggart 4×3 Light Heavyweight

Tyrone McKenna v Istvan Kiss 6×3 Welterweight

Daniel McShane v TBA 6×3 Super Featherweight

Dee Walsh v Peter Orlik 6×3 Light Middleweight

James Fryers v Mark Morris 8×3 International Masters Bronze Title 8×3

Paul Hyland Jnr v Imre Nagy 8×3 BUI Celtic Title 8×3

Kris Hughes v James Tennyson 10×3 Celtic Featherweight Title