Finnegan wants the best of British

Jonjo Finnegan has thrown down the gauntlet to Britain's light-heavyweights.

The popular Burton stylist boxes a few miles up the road in Nottingham on Friday night [October 28], on a Carl Greaves-promoted show at Clifton Leisure Centre, and has targeted big fights against the best in the country.

He's sold his allocation of 100 tickets and boxes over four against Doncaster's durable James Tucker, who's coming off a win over undefeated James Cunningham three weeks ago, on an all-Nottingham bill that includes two other Irish-rooted fighters, Bulwell's Midland Area cruiserweight champion Shane McPhilbin and Sneinton's Terry Maughan, as well as St Ann's welterweight Nathan McIntosh and Gedling first-timer Leigh Wood.

And the British Masters 12st champion, who's been sparring with talented if erratic Brummie Tony Randell for this, can probably look forward to a crack at the vacant Midland Area light-heavyweight title if he comes through unscathed this week and, longer term, tilts at the English and Irish straps.

Finnegan has offered to meet Reagan Denton, the Sheffield scrapper with only one loss in 14, over ten but has yet to hear anything from him or his manager Glyn Rhodes. But it's the increasing talk of an all-Midlands showdown with dangerous returning Nottingham puncher Rod Anderton that gets the juices flowing for the Errol Johnson-trained former Midland ABA champion.

"We've been making offers at Denton's people but nothing seems to be coming from it and i don't think he wants it," admitted the former Irish title challenger, 14-6-3. "But the Anderton fight is the one i really want.

"It should have happened about four or five years ago but, for whatever reason, it never has. That's boxing. He hasn't boxed for a bit [since he was swatted aside in a round by Danny McIntosh for the English title in 2008] but he's won a title before [the International Masters] and it's a natural, either in Burton or Nottingham, that would sell a bucket-load of tickets.

"Rod has also challenged for the English belt and i want to as well, so the winner could be in a position to get that. If and when he fights again, and if he can recapture his old form [11 wins and a draw in 15, three quickly], then it's a contest that would capture the imagination in the East Midlands and could do us both a lot of favours.

"The time is right and i've been hitting harder in the gym for my last couple and think that, stepping up a few pounds to 12st 7lbs and boxing over a ten or 12-round distance, i would take someone apart. I'm looking at the bigger fights with better lads now, to progress me further up the ladder and getting myself in the title mix.

"That's not to say i'm looking past Tucker," reasoned the 31-year-old, who boxed beautifully to tame heavy-handed Derby destroyer Elvis Dube over six last time out.

"If i'm honest I've not seen too much of him or know that much about him, aside from he's tough and only a couple have stopped him. But i've taken this to keep busy and get a few more rounds under my belt, which he'll give me, i'm sure.

"There are some huge nights around the corner and i can't afford to mess that up on Friday."

Image courtesy of Gavin Burrows.