Maloney salutes Sutherland sparring

11 December 2008 – By Mark Doyle

Frank Maloney has expressed his relief that Darren Sutherlands training camp is finally at an end because the heavy-handed Irishman was going through sparring partners at an incredible rate.

Super-middleweight prospect Sutherland signed with Maloney shortly after winning a bronze medal in this summers Olympic Games and is set to make his professional debut in Dublin next Thursday, in a six-rounder against Bulgarian Georgi Iliev.

When Maloney broke the news he claimed he had a future world champion on his hands and he is even more sure of that now after watching Sutherland in action in Brian Lawrences gym in London.

“Darren has worked his way through nine sparring partners inside the last month, he exclaimed.

“I am not going to name any of them because they didn’t moan and got on with the job.

“Most of them were on the floor and if they weren’t going over they were on receiving end, but they were true professionals and never complained.

“I am just relieved it is all over because I have been on the phone non-stop getting lads in.”

Indeed, Maloney is worried that he might not be able to find anyone else in London willing to step into the ring with Sutherland.

P>”I have a good overseas network so it will not be a problem bringing sparring over, but I like the idea of Darren using gyms in Britain, he explained.

“I have been offered some facilities in Manchester by one of my associates where he says there will be good sparring and that is a possibility.

“But We have to get the Iliev fight out of the way first. Then Darren can enjoy the holidays with his family before he knuckles down again.

“It has been a whirlwind few weeks for him and I dare say he can’t wait to see his family and get some rest.”