Boxing – Spartan making all the right contacts

Dec 12 2008 by Paul Wheelock, Flintshire Chronicle

PAUL Economides impressed the man who put Amir Khan on the road to stardom when he maintained the 100% winning start to his professional career on Saturday night.

The 22-year-old featherweight from Connah’s Quay made it four victories from four when he easily beat 20-year-old Tony McQuade from Peterborough on points at the Robin Park Centre in Wigan.

And the Flintshire fighter’s most polished performance yet earned him a ringing endorsement from promoter Oliver Harrison, who was ditched as Khan’s trainer earlier this year despite steering the Olympic silver medallist to an unblemished 17-fight record after turning pro.

Chester ABC’s Economides said: “I felt really comfortable and I boxed this time rather than fought and showed a lot more skills. I was more relaxed and controlled and won every one of the four rounds.

“Oliver was impressed with my performance and said he wants me to fight at another of his shows in February, so that gave me a really good buzz.”

The former Shotton ABC member also caught the eye of a boxer who could be crowned a world champion come February.

World number three Michael Jennings from Preston is expected to face Puerto Rican world number one Miguel Angel Cotto in an eliminator for the WBO welterweight title at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Economides, nicknamed ‘The Spartan’, said: “Michael was watching and he came over and congratulated me afterwards and said I was different class.

“He’s a top boy and he told me to go down to his gym in Manchester.”