Oct 2 2007 by Nick Peet, Liverpool Echo

FIGHT ACADEMY boss Dennis Hobson is promising to give new signing Tony Dodson every opportunity to reach his full potential.

The Sheffield-based boxing promoter was delighted with the former British super-middleweight champion’s debut performance at the weekend.

And now he hopes the 27-year-old can get back into championship class soon, and maybe even follow in the footsteps of Saturday’s bill topper Clinton Woods.

Hobson told the ECHO: “I am really looking forward to working with Tony, his father Eric and the rest of his team. They’re real genuine boxing people.

“To be honest with you I really don’t know yet how high Tony can go in this game. British, European or even world level, but all I can do is promise to give him every opportunity to get there.

“Very few people thought that Clinton Woods had what it takes to make it as a world champion, but now he’s made more defences of his IBF light-heavyweight crown than John Conteh ever did - and we all know how popular he was.”

Dodson won every round against Belarus brawler Yuri Tsarenko on Saturday, but was left nursing five stitches after an old cut opened up.

Hobson wants that sorting out this month.

“The cut is a problem and needs rectifying as soon as possible,” he said.

“I was hoping to put on a show in Liverpool at the end of November with Tony headlining and possibly a couple of other Liverpool lads on the undercard, but we’ll have to wait and see now.”

LIVERPOOL ECHO ARTICLE