Tom Hill is counting down the days to what he describes as his “world title fight”.
The Redcar boxer is off to Italy to challenge Akrem Aouina for what is being described as the WBC World Silver interim welterweight title on December 5.
It might be hard sometimes keeping up with the alphabets, colours and statuses of various belts but one thing for sure is that this is BIG for Hill and his team. And, of course, Redcar who this year has celebrated Bobby Dalton become England’s welterweight champion.
In Milan, Hill will be facing a 31-year-old Tunisian, who now fights out of Italy and has a 13-1 record, with five of his wins coming early.
Aouine, a recent Italian welterweight champion, won the WBC International Silver belt 12 months ago with a points win over Italy’s Nicholas Esposito before defending it against another Italian Mirko Geografo in May to establish a rating just outside the World Boxing Council’s top 30.
The WBC World Silver interim welterweight title on offer in December will be a nice prize but it’s all about the doors it could open for Hill who, you would assume, will inherit Aouina’s WBC ranking of 32.
“This is like my world title,” Hill told punch-lines.
“This is a great opportunity for me and one that could lead to bigger fights for me.
“A win in Milan would open doors for me.
“It’s not as if I’m in with someone who is on another level to me.
“He is very, very beatable, I feel I am better than him – I don’t know what he beats me at?
“I feel I can box him and beat him, and if it comes down to a fight, I can beat him that way too. He is going to get it!”
Aouina’s four and a half year-career has been fought almost exclusively in Italy with his only defeat coming when he left his adopted country for a bout in Germany.
It will be Hill’s first contest under the Shamrock banner after signing for Mervyn Turner, who has delivered immediately.
“I only like the big fights,” said the boxer known as One Bomb. “The six-rounders don’t really excite me too much.
“I got a message off Mervyn to ask if I’d like a little run-out before Christmas, but I was meant to be working offshore so it looked like I’d next box in the new year.
“He said there might be something in the pipeline and he’d be in touch if it came off and then rang me the next day to say did I want this fight?
“I just said ‘that’s a stupid question!’.
“Aouina obviously is good but he’s no world-beater.
“He looks very sharp for the first few rounds and while I wouldn’t say he falls to bits exactly, he certainly doesn’t carry it on and seems to get on his bike.
“I won’t be leaving him alone.”
Hill has not boxed in 15 months since winning the Northern Area title with a win over Ewan Mackenzie, which improved his record to 12-3, with three wins coming early.
Proposed bouts with Josh Wagner (IBF International) and Travis Waters (English) sadly did not come off, but this ‘Italian Job’ is signed sealed and delivered, and just weeks away.
“I’m proof that you are not finished by a defeat or three,” said the Niki Wiley-trained welterweight.
“Some people think you are done once you lose.
“I’ve lost a few, but aside from my defeat to Ellis Corrie for the Northern Area title they are not bad losses.
“I’ve been beaten by Paddy Donovan, who has just fought for the IBF world title, and British champion Jack Rafferty in a close fight.
“I think a defeat or two actually opens doors because people see a loss and think ‘we’ll beat him’. If Aouine’s people think that they’ll be made to think again.”
Words: Roy Kelly
