FORMER World Featherweight champion Barry McGuigan was suitably impressed on Saturday, June 29, when James Yelland took another step on a possible march to the Southern Areas Bantam Weight title with a proficient victory over Neil Reid.

McGuigan was commentating for Sky Sports at the Brentwood International Centre, and, after watching Yelland out-score Reid in their six-round bout, sought out the St Albans and London Colney Boxing Club member to compliment him on his body punches. High praise indeed from one of the best body punchers of recent history.

"Yes, I got the thumbs up from Barry, who was an excellent fighter," Yelland said, "so that was good."

The fight itself went pretty much according to plan, with Yelland winning every round, and trainer Paul Rees noting a marked improvement in some of the things they had been concentrating on in training recently.

"He's bending at the knees now, rolling underneath punches and is difficult to catch. It's something we've been working on for the last six weeks."

The doggedness his opponent displayed also pleased Rees, who said Yelland would appreciate the extra rounds after not fighting since February, and Yelland himself commented on Reid's "durability".

Rees said: "He was quite tough actually, a lot better than his record suggested."

That the fight went the distance perhaps owed as much to Reid's stickability as it did to an injury to Yelland's hand, sustained at the end of the fourth round.

Going for a right hook over the top, Yelland caught his opponent on the top of the head, and the subsequent wrist injury reduced the number of right hands he was able to throw thereafter and also seems likely to have put his next fight back a couple of weeks.

"It's a bit of a recurring injury," Yelland said. "I did it in my last fight too, but if it's only bruised this time then I'm still on for another fight in July."

He took this optimism back into the gym with him on Wednesday, although the injury has meant the real work will not start up again for the next fortnight, when Rees will focus on possible areas of improvement.

"To get on to the next level, he needs to concentrate on fighting on the inside more. Instead of trying to tie his opponents up, he's got to try to open gaps inside.

"We've got to get him sparring against fighters like that, so he can watch them and 'nick' some of their moves."

Whether it is four or six weeks away, Yelland has just one bout before a probable shot at the Southern Areas Bantam Weight title against either current holder Nicky Booth or number one challenger Jim Betts.

July 3, 2002 16:30