BERT MITCHELL

BERT MITCHELL

ALEX MORRISON has vowed to make Charlie Flynn a world champion within two years, after revealing he has added the sumptuous skills of the Commonwealth Games lightweight champion to his boxing stable.

The 21 year-old will make his professional debut on Morrison's show at the Thistle Hotel, Glasgow on Sunday December 14, with his fellow Commonwealth Games team-mate Joe Ham, who has also signed with Morrison Promotions, also to make his first foray in the paid ranks on the same card.

The doyen of the Scottish professional game has no doubt that Flynn has the skill-set and the character needed to follow in the footsteps of Ricky Burns as the country's next professional world champion and says that Flynn's signing has reignited his passion for pugilism.

"I am delighted to announce that Charlie Flynn has joined Morrison Promotions and I'm excited about the prospect of developing Charlie into our next world champion, something I hope we can achieve within two years," said Morrison.

"I look at Charlie right now and I would say that he is at about the same level as Willie Limond [British light-welterweight champion] was when he turned professional but Charlie has that extra bit of spark and belief that can really help him in the professional ranks.

"He has accrued vast experience in the amateur ranks and, in winning the Commonwealth Games gold medal in his home city, demonstrated the temperament and character needed to deal with the biggest occasions. That is why I have every belief that in two years Charlie can become a world champion and follow in the footsteps of Ricky Burns."

The signing is quite a coup, as English promoter Eddie Hearn had also been in the hunt to acquire the Glasgow gold medallist, while in adding the name of Joe Ham, who was a quarter-finalist in Glasgow during the summer, Morrison has now snapped up the top two emerging domestic talents. The venerable promoter has also, in one fell swoop, helped fill the worrying vacuum developing in the Scottish professional ranks, as Ricky Burns and Willie Limond reach veteran status.

Flynn's sweet boxing from an orthodox stance at range, coupled with his ability to unleash vicious hooks close up, testifies to a style that is tailor-made for the professional game. "Obviously Charlie has been very well-schooled by Peter Harrison at the Phoenix gym, where he has also had the benefit of sparring with Willie Limond," said Morrison. "But you look at some fighters and you can just tell they have the perfect tools for the professional game and I believe that is the case with Charlie.

"I would class Charlie as a box-fighter who is just as comfortable boxing on the back foot as he is when dominating the centre of the ring. So we will not be wasting time with him and he will have his first outing with us on December 14 at the Thistle Hotel and then 2015 will be a busy year for Charlie.

"The same will also be the case for Joe Ham who will also make his pro debut with us on December 14.

"By signing both these lads and Ryan Smith [the former amateur prospect] too, I feel like I have reignited my own interest in the professional game once again and really I am very excited about the next couple of years."

Morrison is expected to announce another big name for his promotion at the Thistle, which is already looking like an exceedingly strong farewell to the Scottish boxing year.