Heffron to fight tough Smith

Ronnie Heffron: tough match ahead

BOXING: RONNIE Heffron ends his long wait for a fight on Saturday when he takes on a man who has been stopped only twice in 10 years.

Billy Smith (32) from Worcester, is 12 years older than Heffron — now a member of Anthony Farnell’s stable — has more than 100 bouts under his belt and is renowned for going the distance.

The two welterweights clash at the Birmingham LG Arena’s ‘Magnificent Seven’ show, which sees Matthew Macklin challenge Georgian Shalva Jomardashvili for the vacant European middleweight title.

Heffron has been kicking his heels for the best part of five months since a summer show at Preston Guild Hall was cancelled.

His dad Tommy said: “It is going to be a tough test but I think Ronnie will be all right.

“He just has to be wary of the fact that this lad is small and nippy. He comes forward a lot.

“Obviously Smith has a lot of experience and has only been stopped twice in a decade. But Ronnie should be okay, training has gone well.

“He has been in with Frankie Gavin and Tom Costello, so the preparation could not have been better.”

Tommy was full of praise for the support for his son, who was a member of the Great Britain podium squad for the 2012 Olympics before turning professional.

“Around 200 people are making their way from Oldham to Birmingham, a couple of coaches are going and others are driving in their cars,” he added.

“The support means a lot to Ronnie. It can only help him.”