Wednesday 18 January 2012

Concepcion chasing English and British title scalps

Martin Concepcion has been handed a fresh chance to win the English title.

Having had to withdraw from the original December date with champion Nick Blackwell through injury, the Leicester banger [pictured] is now penciled in to make a challenge for the middleweight strap on a First Team bill at Trowbridge Civic Hall on March 3.

Concepcion, 18-9 (11), looked to have had his career after suffering back-to-back stoppage defeats at the tail-end of 2010 and beginning of 2011 - in eleven to Sam Webb [British] and swatted aside in just two by Sergey Rabchenko eleven months ago.

But Martin breathed new life into a flagging career when he ripped the Midlands strap from Matt Hainy in an East Midlands derby last September, dropping the then-champion four times before referee Shaun Messer brought an end to the slaughter in the penultimate round of a set ten. It was Concepcion's first fight at middleweight and a statement of intent.

And if the East Midlander can snare the belt from the aggressive 21-year-old former British and Commonwealth title challenger, 10-1 (4), there will be no shortage of men looking to challenge him - with the most intriguing being a sure-to-be-explosive dust-up with returning Peterborough puncher Cello Renda.

But though there are options aplenty for the victor, the 30-year-old knows he can't look too far into the future. "I'm more than confident of beating Blackwell, but i can't afford to look past him - even if i'd love to get a crack at the British title afterwards," reasoned the hammer-fisted former Midlands Area 11st boss. "This is my last chance to win major honours.

"This is another massive night for me; a last chance like i had against Hainy last year. I can't afford to lose to Blackwell and if i do, it's probably over for me as a fighter," added an always-explosive crowd-pleaser who holds paid wins over then-unbeaten Matthew Hall, Max Maxwell and Kevin Hammond.

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