THERE’S real talent to go with the tartan at the Excelsior Sporting Club’s annual St Andrew’s Night evening.
And two red hot fighters will show what they’re made of at the glittering Haggis and Bagpipes event in Cannock on Thursday, November 27.
Hats off to promoter Scott Murray for securing the services of Shabir Haidary and Huey Malone – names yet unknown by casual fans, but – believe me – blessed with exceptional talent.
They are champions in waiting. They are something special.
Super-lightweight Malone, a former exceptional amateur for Coventry’s Christ the King club, is being groomed for very big things.
The 23-year-old, who will look for his third pro win at the Excelsior, has the promotional muscle of Frank Warren driving him forward, is managed by Birmingham boxing legend Matt Macklin and trained by champion maker Joe Gallagher.
Haidary, from Afghanistan but based in Gloucester, lacks those big time connections, yet oozes star quality. The Afghan Cobra hits hard, is unorthodox and possesses trip-wire reflexes.
Unbeaten in 10, among the pack of featherweight contender the 26-year-old appears as unwelcome as a virus. Manager Jon Pegg has dubbed him one of the country’s most avoided boxers.
Haidary hasn’t boxed for a year. His last appearance was on Murray’s 2024 St Andrew’s Night show when he demolished Jahfieus Faure – a capable and dangerous “away” fighter – in three. Very few do that to Faure.
“That was my 50 per cent,” Haidary told me. “That was me ticking over.”
For Shabir, November 27 will be an unwelcome anniversary of unemployment.
The months away have been spent waiting for breakthrough fights, seeing them presented, then snatched away.
Haidary has become British boxing’s best kept secret.
“I’ve had enough of the politics,” he said. “I want the big fights, I want to get going. We are supposed to be fighters, we are supposed to roll the dice. As a fighter you should think, ‘I want to fight him’. But they know if they accept me as an opponent they may as well accept defeat.”
Not many want to take the risk against Haidary.
He said: “I understand you have to have everything working for you, you need the right time and you need a lot of luck. The big promoters have the power to manoeuvre their fighters really well.
“I’m at a stage where I’ve done my learning fights and I’m ready for something big. I’m training my backside off, I’ve been offered a couple of good fights only to see them fall through.”
He added: “I’m still enjoying the process, I just want to get out there and fight. Next year we are looking at a serious title and I soon as I get a meaningful title, I’m ready for anyone.”
