Boxing: Worthy opponent provides Brodie with authentic world title fight

At last a real world title fight will take place in Britain when the vacant World Boxing Council featherweight championship will hopefully be decided over 12 rounds at the MEN Arena in Manchester tonight between the local fighter Michael Brodie and Korea's Injin Chi.

The fame circuit of British boxing appears to require a new recruit each week to climb through the ropes and win a version of the world title in fights that are really only average international affairs and are often dull all-British encounters. This situation, which greatly benefits the fighter financially, has taken the sport closer than ever to being recognised as a fake game where influence and not talent is essential, but Brodie's fight with Chi has the authentic feel of a world title from a previous era.

There have been a lot of exceptions during the last five or six years, but in general a half-decent British fighter will meet a willing import for a gaudy bauble and suddenly Britain and, more importantly, television has a new world champion. It is a title game of endless possibilities, and right now more than 20 British boxers are world champions, which should improve their bank balances, help sell tickets and satisfy television's obsession with so-called championship fights.

However, Brodie more than almost any other British boxer deserves a real fight for a proper title, and that is exactly what he has tonight when he finally meets Chi. It is an even and quality encounter that has been put together in the old-fashioned way by lobbying and not thrown together at late notice by a couple of matchmakers handicapped by a shortage of cash.

This will actually be the fourth time in eight fights that Brodie has fought for a vacant world title having lost a controversial challenge for the WBC's super-bantamweight version in 2000, won the World Boxing Federation title at feather in 2002 and the International Boxing Organisation title earlier this year.

"This is for the real world title," Brodie's promoter, Barry Hearn, admitted. "I think that British promoters have a lot to answer for over the last 10 years or so because we have let other titles take over." Hearn should know having been instrumental in persuading the British Boxing Board of Control to sanction World Boxing Organisation fights when he promoted Chris Eubank in the early Nineties, and during the last few years he has given credibility to the IBO, which is run by the former WBO boss Ed Levine.

Tonight, Chi will try to go one stage further than he did in 2001 when he was beaten on points by the Mexican legend Erik Morales in Los Angles for the same belt. Chi proved there that he could go 12 very hard rounds and that fighting away from home in front of a hostile crowd does not bother him.

When Brodie met California's Willie Jorrin for the vacant WBC super-bantamweight version in Manchester in 2000 he lost a majority decision that remains as baffling now as it did on the night. But Brodie has never dwelt on the injustice and has waited patiently for his chance this evening. It should be pointed out that Brodie was extremely fortunate to retain his Commonwealth title against Simon Ramoni on points in London in 1998.

Brodie will start as a slight favourite to win the WBC title on points against Chi, but in so many recent fights he has finished with cuts and bruises that have distorted his features, hindering his vision, and that could very well be one of the decisive factors in a fight that is not expected to end quickly.