Darlington fighter set for World Championship showdown in September

Hall will take on Haskins on the undercard of Gennady Golovkin’s eagerly-awaited clash with the unbeaten Kell Brook at London’s O2 Arena on Saturday, September 10.

The Darlington fighter will be competing in his fifth world-title fight, having claimed the IBF crown with a win over Vusi Malinga, retained it courtesy of a draw with Martin Ward and suffered defeats to Paul Butler and Randy Caballero.

He has switched stables since the Caballero defeat in October 2014, severing his ties with his former promoter, Dennis Hobson, and linking up with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom operation.

April’s win over Rodrigo Guerrero earned him a shot at regaining his IBF crown, and yesterday’s confirmation of his place on the O2 bill means he will be fighting on a date that holds special significance.

“It’s five years to the day since I was married, so maybe that’s fate,” said Hall, who tied the knot in Mauritius a matter of days after he lost to Jamie McDonnell in a European Bantamweight contest. “The missus (Emma) has already told me that I’d better not lose!

“I’ve promised her that her anniversary present is going to be the world title. I’ve been working for this over the last couple of years, and I’m chuffed to bits that it’s on now and I’ll be fighting on the biggest night in British boxing all year.

“It’s going to be a hell of an occasion, and I’ll definitely be putting on a show. I think most people in boxing know how much I hate Haskins, so it’ll be even more special to put him in his place and take back the title.”

Hall’s enmity with Haskins goes back to July 2012, when the North-Easterner lost to his Bristol-based opponent in a European title bout.

It took Haskins a while to progress from European level, but he claimed the world title in controversial fashion last November when Caballero failed to make the weight ahead of a planned contest in Las Vegas.

Haskins defended his crown against Mexican Ivan Morales in May, but Hall is dismissive of the reigning champion’s qualities. He might have lost to him four years ago, but he expects a radically different fight in two months’ time.

“I got things wrong the last time we fought, but I’m a totally different fighter now,” he said. “I’ve been fighting against some of the top boxers in the world – he hasn’t taken on anybody. I pushed Caballero all the way – Haskins would have been embarrassed if they’d fought when they were meant to.

“He hasn’t got the power to hurt me, and I’ve got the shots and speed to annihilate him. I’m not someone who normally says things like this ahead of a fight – but I’m going to knock him out.

“He’s just jab and grab – well, I’m not going to let him fight like that. I’m going to be taking it to him from the first minute of the first round. If it takes 12 rounds, fine, I’ll still be going strong at the end. But I fully expect to have ended it way before then.”

With the fight now confirmed, Hall will closet himself away in Birmingham for an intensive training camp with his corner-man, Paddy Lynch.

The pair have been working together for almost two years, and Hall is confident he will be in the best possible shape when he takes to the ring in London. He also expects Lynch’s ring-craft to prove crucial, having improved tactically since he began working with the veteran trainer.

“If I’d worked with Paddy right through my career, who knows how good I might have been,” he said. “He’s been great for me, and I think he likes working with me too.

“I feel fitter now than I’ve ever been, and that’s before I really start any hard training. I’ve been keeping myself fit, sparring with people like the Yafai brothers and Frankie Gavin, and I’m a completely different boxer now than when Haskins last saw me.

“I know some of his fans have been calling me an old man – well if that’s what they think, they’re in for a shock. I’ll be much too sharp for Haskins, and Paddy will make sure I fight the right fight. Even when I was winning the last fight (against Guerrero), he was screaming at me to stick to the plan. Sometimes, I need that in my ear.”

After losing to Caballero in Monte Carlo, Hall spent ten months out of the ring as he attempted to resolve his contractual dispute with Hobson. The wrangle proved extremely frustrating, but he never doubted that his time would come again.

“It was a tough period, but there was never a time where I thought about packing it in,” he said. “I could have got the decision in that Caballero fight, and I didn’t want to go out thinking about what might have been.

“I know I’m good enough to be a two-time world champion and eclipse Glenn (McCrory) by being the first fighter from the North-East to do that. I always knew I’d get another chance, and this feels like destiny. I’ll be making history in September.”