Mykey: I’ve added power to my game

Mykey Lee Broughton...in action on Saturday night

YOU have to feel for lightweight Mykey Lee Broughton who tops Saturday’s bill at Birmingham’s Eastside Rooms.

The local lad is a talented fighter whose quest to claim a Midlands title seems to have hit a roadblock.

He has textbook skills, tripwire reflexes and a good engine. At this stage, the only thing that appears to be missing is knockout power.

He and manager Anthony Manning have tried their damndest but been thwarted at every turn – despite Mykey being nominated for title shots by the Midlands Board of Control.

Broughton featured in a truly epic bid to lift the area belt last September and was clearly ahead when halted by Scott Melvin in the last round in highly unusual circumstances. The referee called a halt after Mykey was violently ill in the ring after taking body shots.

If anything, that loss – Broughton’s sole blemish on a 10 fight record - enhanced his reputation.

Yet the 23-year-old has been unable to capitalise on the heroics 12 months ago. His two bouts since that classic, both over the apprentice four round distance, have both been on manager Manning’s shows against undemanding opposition.

Kasey Bradnum, who Mykey outpointed at the Hangar, Wolverhampton, is still searching for a win after 13 contests. In his only bout this year, he beat Karl Sampson who is currently 6-39-1.

This Saturday at Birmingham’s Eastside Rooms, the opposition is better, although Mykey is nailed on to take a wide six round decision.

Nicaraguan Cristian Narvaez is one very tough individual. He may have won only 17 of 104 (seven draws), but he’s mixed it with very good men and only failed to hear the final bell on two occasions.

He is near impossible to knock over. I watched unbeaten Wolverhampton prospect Gully Powar throw everything bar the kitchen sink at Narvaez last year, yet he had to settle for a four round decision.

I’ve no doubt Broughton yearns for bigger tests than Narvaez. Bad breaks have prevented his return to championship battles.

He was slated to meet Melvin in a title return, but Scott moved to a lower weight and relinquished. He was then put forward to face red-hot prospect Ibraheem Sulaimaan for the vacant title and that went south when “Spider” publicly stated he had no interest in area level championships.

There was noise about a mouthwatering title clash with Knowle’s unbeaten Dylan Norman. That came to nothing when Norman moved up to light-welter.

Manager Manning admitted this week: “I don’t think there’s anyone left out there. We may have to bypass the Midlands and next year look for an eliminator for the English title. We may end up in that process.”

Broughton has adopted an “it is what it is” approach over the bouts that have fallen through.

“It doesn’t bother me,” he said. “I’ll get there one way or the other. Whether they fight me now or in the future, they’ve still got to fight me.

“A Melvin rematch has passed now. I think people really know who the winner was, it’s just that something unfortunate happened.

“The Midlands title is still an option, but if an opportunity comes up that will progress me and makes sense, I’ll take it.”

Of Saturday’s engagement, he said: “I know Narvaez is tough and hard to stop, but the power is something we’ve added to my game and you’ll see it on Saturday night.”

Mykey believes he’s destined for glory, adding: “I wouldn’t be in boxing for anything less than a world title.”