British Scene: Jason Booth vs Matthew Marsh Preview

Dave Oakes previews Friday night's Sky Sports main-event featuring the British super-bantamweight title clash between Jason Booth and Matthew Marsh.

Jason Booth and Matthew Marsh square off for the British super-bantamweight title this Friday at the Harvey Hadden Leisure Centre, Nottingham. This will be the first time Booth has headlined a show in his hometown since late 2003 (a hard fought split-decision victory over Lunga Ntontela).

A lot has happened to Booth since the Ntontela fight, including his much publicised fall from grace due to alcohol addiction – a problem that caused his two year hiatus from boxing. It was a problem that crept up on him, one minute he was a hard training boxer who liked a drink, the next he was an ex boxer who always needed a drink. The downfall of his brother Nicky due to crack addiction should’ve come as a warning to him, but if anything, it only increased his desire to find solace in the bottle.

After winning his battle against addiction, Booth came back to the sport with renewed vim and vigour and was soon back fighting at championship level, albeit a losing attempt at the British bantamweight title against Ian Napa in just his third fight back.

Booth has reeled off seven consecutive wins since that defeat, claiming the Commonwealth title at bantamweight before moving up to super-bantam to win the British belt. Friday’s fight with Marsh will be the third defence of the title, and should he win, he’ll get to keep the much coveted Lonsdale belt.

Marsh will be hoping to regain the British belt he lost outside the ring - he was forced to withdraw from the second defence of his title because he was struggling to make the 122lb limit. Booth stepped in and beat Mark Moran to claim the vacated title.

Marsh had won the title in impressive fashion, outboxing the slick Esham Pickering over twelve rounds. Pickering was probably on the slide at that point of his career but was still considered the slight favourite to win. Marsh then made a successful defence against old foe Rocky Dean, winning via a majority decision before his reign was cut short by his weight problems.

Marsh’s struggles making the super-bantamweight limit are no secret, and despite his team claiming that those days are behind him, you’ve still got to wonder how much the weight making could take out of his body.

Marsh will enjoy size and reach advantages over Booth but is the less seasoned campaigner and isn’t as naturally gifted as Booth is, although, he’s a very well-rounded fighter himself. Marsh is a busy fighter who likes to work behind a stiff jab; he can be entertaining to watch even though he doesn’t carry any notable punching power.

Booth may have to be patient in the early part of the fight; it could take him a couple of rounds to figure out how to time his shots with Marsh’s busy in and out movement potentially causing him a few problems.

I think Marsh has the ability to give Booth a tough fight but I’m finding it hard to look beyond a points win for Booth in what should be an entertaining fight for the purists. Booth looked exceptional last time out when he destroyed former British, Commonwealth and European champion Michael Hunter in five rounds. Booth was at his imperious best as he picked Hunter apart with classy combinations, slick footwork and impressive hand speed. Marsh will certainly be harder to hit than Hunter was but I feel Booth’s greater ring craft and punch variety will start to payoff from the midpoint onwards.

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