James Flinn may have missed out on the chance to be in the next installment of Prizefighter, but his consolation is an all-Coventry title clash with a former gym mate.
The undefeated Coventry stylist has been made a reserve for the next welterweight edition of the popular Prizefighter event and has looked the real deal since turning over in 2008, securing his first belt in the paid ranks with a landslide points decision over British Masters monarch Ben Lawler in March.
Flinn, boxing in nearby Bedworth, decked the defending champion in the opening three minutes before dominating the rest of the action to take a decisive 100-90 nod from Shaun Messer.
That took his professional ledger to 8-0-1 (2) and now will meet capable same-city southpaw Sean McKervey, 8-4-2 (1), at Bedworth Civic Hall on September 10 for the Midland Area 10st 7lbs belt
Although coming off back-to-back defeats, 27-year-old McKervey can be dangerous - and destroyed West Brom's Wayne Downing in three rounds to take the British Masters title last year, dropping him twice. He followed that up with more title success, a ten-round taming of Stourbridge upsetter Kevin McCauley to take the Area belt in December.
With titles-a-plenty in the city, Coventry boxing is basking in the same rude health it was at the turn of the millennium.
As well as the said welterweight pair, the enigmatic Davies twins - unbeaten cruiserweight Rhys (boxing for the vacant Midland Area strap in June) and fast-handed super-middleweight Llewy - are also putting the city that produced the likes of Richie Evatt, Dean Pithie and Neil Simpson back on the boxing map.
But Flinn, 29 and a former top-rated amateur for Triumph ABC, is at the forefront of that revival and has doors opening for him.
If he can successfully see off the champion in September, the fast-footed, sharp-boxing stylist could find himself in positions for the EU, against Italian Luciano Abis (who beat Flinn's stablemate, Telford's Mark Lloyd, last month), or English, against Nottingham's talented if inactive Adnan Amar, crowns before the year reaches its end.
He said: "Errol [Johnson, manager] is trying to get me cracks at bigger titles if i keep getting the wins but I've got McKervey first.
"We've sparred before and, to be honest, i dominated him. But that's sparring. He showed me that he was fit and willing and I'll give him the respect he deserves in a real ten-round fight with a belt on the line.
"I'm not looking past this fight," continued the ambitious Coventry City supporter," but there are plenty of chances awaiting me if i do well - including potential contests for the English, Commonwealth and EU titles.
"But September 10 will be big for Coventry. That said, there will only be one winner and i'm going to knock him out."
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