Felix Cash last boxed in December 2022 but when he returns to the ring the European middleweight title will be on the line.
Cash left his previous trainer Tony Sims and for three months has been working with Adam Booth.
The middleweight contender is 16-0 (10 KOs) but has been beset with personal problems and failed to capitalize on his stunning win in 2021 over Denzel Bentley.
The EBU has called for him to face their champion, his fellow Englishman Tyler Denny, who won the title against the experienced Italian Matteo Signani in November.
“He’s been ordered to fight Tyler Denny,” said Cash’s promoter Eddie Hearn. “It’s a great fight and that’s the fight we’re in. There are negotiations going on for that. It could be purse bids as well, we’ll see but that’s what’s next.”
Cash’s new coach Booth said promotional group Boxxer have made an offer for the fight, but they are waiting to see if Hearn and Matchroom will counter.
“With the greatest of respect, in my opinion they’re not overly invested in Tyler Denny,” Hearn said of Boxxer. “Felix is good. He went through a tough time personally. He’s overcome that now and he’s training with Adam Booth. He’s a very talented fighter. When you think about the performance he put in against Denzel Bentley, he was on the verge of fighting for a world title after that so we feel like he’s got a lot of potential.”
Asked whether he would have liked to have worked with Cash for a fight instead of going straight into a European title shot, Booth said: “Unfortunately he’s not in that position. He’s kind of a bit too well regarded for his own good here, where he’s been nominated for the European, and we can either take it, or not take it – and take a meaningless fight in order that he and I get used to each other.
“But we’re building a really good understanding in the gym, there’s plenty of time to get some good, challenging sparring in as well. He’s a good fighter – a well-rounded fighter. I’m a good coach, we know what we’re doing, and so we’re happy to go straight to that European title fight.”
Denny is someone Booth is well aware of. The champion is 18-2-3 with one stoppage win, and the coach has watched him up close.
“I’ve seen his fights, the fight with the kid from Coventry [River Wilson-Bent] and he came sparring in my gym with Abass Baraou so I know him, I watched him win the European, so I think I understand the challenge at hand.”
Booth likes to work with fighters before announcing that they have linked up. He has spent weeks and weeks working with Cash, becoming familiar with his new charge as they built a bond.
“It’s been three months,” Booth added. “I think there’s a healthy level of respect and understanding both ways. I can see why he’s had success, so I certainly don’t want to take away his strengths, but we have spoken about mistakes or gaps he makes or things he does that could be improved for the higher level.
“We’re working on little things. At this stage of his career, it’s not about an overhaul, it’s about simple things – just one or two things.”
