Successful night for Midlands duo Perry and Owen

Those who traveled from the East Midlands to watch Jack Perry and Courtney Owen box in Sheffield had to wait until 11-o-clock to see their men step into action.

But despite the lateness of their fights - taking place after the Sky Sports-televised main event - it was worth the wait as both secured four-round victories on the Ricky Hatton-promoted bill at Sheffield's Ponds Forge Leisure Centre on Saturday night [March 24].

Derby welterweight Perry [pictured] improved his unbeaten professional run to 17 [one draw, two early] with a 12-minute shut-out of winless Earl's Court-based South African Bheki Moyo [10st 10lbs], 37 and who's still searching for the elusive 'W' 42 outings into his career.

And it never looked as though it would arrive on Saturday as Ingle-trained Perry - enthusiastically supported at ringside by heavyweight gym mate Richard Towers, who'd registered an impressive five-round stoppage earlier in the night -  dominated the action.

The 24-year-old ex-One Nation ABC unpaid performer finished unmarked and it was little wonder. His footwork too nimble to be troubled by Moyo's wild swings, Jack worked off the jab throughout, followed through with hooks, before driving in lefts to the body.

A neatly-threaded uppercut and right hook to the ribs in the fourth underlined the Midlander's dominance - matched by referee Michael Alexander's 40-36 scoreline.

"The first body shot landed and he smiled," said well-supported Perry [10st 8lbs], who must be in the running to box for Jason Welborn's Area 10st 7lbs title and who's ranked at eight in MidlandsBoxing's latest ratings. "But after the 20th shot landed in the same place, he looked like he wanted out."

Talking of fighters who wanted out, Karl Bell [14st 1lb] looked like, at times, he'd rather be anywhere but between the ropes during his show-closing four-rounder with Nottingham's Courtney Owen [13st 11lbs].

The Rotherham cruiserweight entered protecting a two-fight unbeaten ledger that saw both victories arrive at the expense of Nottinghamshire-based Simeon Cover. But unlike ex-Ingle disciple Cover, who launches his punches from unusual angles, Owen came plowing forward and the gamble paid off.

There were a few raised eyebrows at ringside when referee Howard Foster lifted Courtney's glove skywards, but i thought it was the right decision. The well-respected Yorkshireman tallied a 39-37 scoreline that was a tad wider than the 39-38 conclusion i came to.

Whatever the margins of victory were, Owen's work-rate and determination won out. After exchanging jabs in the opening round, the East Midlander attacked with two-fisted vigour - rattling the 30-year-old local in the second with a short left on the ropes. 

A clash of heads left Courtney bleeding from the forehead and Karl sliced on the left eyebrow late in that same session and then Bell, now 2-1, edged a hard-to-score third for me. On my card there was all to play for in the last but it was Owen's thumping left that took the round and the fight.

The improving 25-year-old from Nottingham lost his first two professional outings [including a shocking one-round stoppage to light-hitting Reagan Denton 13 months ago] but with a bit of belief has since secured back-to-back wins over a brace of decent fighters. 

Time-keepers error costs McPhilbin British belt

Some things are just too controversial and costly to simply sweep under the carpet and forget about.

And the first-round farce which saw the bell ring to end the session between Nottingham's British cruiserweight champion Shane McPhilbin and Enzo Maccarinelli with 47 seconds remaining is one of those.

In any circumstance it would be bad enough - after all, a round is either three minutes exactly or two minutes exactly, not a second more or a second less.

What's worse is that former WBO world cruiserweight boss Maccarinelli had been dropped heavily and had drunkenly stumbled around when trying to get himself in a vertical position.

With 47 seconds remaining on the clock and with Enzo's eyes swimming and senses scrambled, McPhilbin should have then tore into the challenger and registered a sensational one-round stoppage [or knockout] victory and won those who'd piled money on him at 150/1 massive sums. 

Or not.

Because as soon as referee Ian John-Lewis had deemed the Italian-rooted Welshman fit to continue fighting, the bell rang to end the round. The fighters are too involved in the moment to know when the bell should ring or not; they just carry on fighting until they're separated.

But that decision was disgraceful - and, with all due respect to time-keeper Martin Fallon, he should, because of the costly nature of the error, have his licence revoked by the British Boxing Board of Control and never be allowed to participate at ringside again. 

Mr Fallon's incompetence in that situation is unforgivable, and no amount of apologising will change what happened. An immediate rematch for McPhilbin won't hand him back his British title, which he won in Rocky-like fashion with a come-from-behind 12-round stoppage over Leon Williams in January. 

If you ask me - and this isn't to take away from Enzo's nervy performance after the opening session - a No Contest should be declared; it's the only fair outcome on an error that undoubtedly changed the outcome.story told about this fight.

As for what happened between the ropes during the 12-rounder, most of the action on the Paul Rowson and Frank Warren-promoted bill at Wolverhampton Civic Hall was packed into the first nine minutes, with the ex-European champion [13st 7lbs 10oz] sensationally hitting the deck twice in that period. 

A sweeping left hook sent the notoriously-fragile Maccarinelli, 31, crashing down inside two minutes. His eyes swimming and legs like mounds of stacked jelly, the Swansea-based puncher was ready to go - and never has a bell saved a fighter at the right time, albeit at the wrong time for anyone that wasn't associated with Enzo.

Shane [14st 3lbs] followed up in the second with more booming punches that had a man who'd dominated world-class Wayne Braithwaite in his pomp looking decidedly unsteady. And a left and a grazing right from the well-supported Bullwell banger stuck Enzo down for a second time in the latter stages of the third, though it wasn't as damaging as the first.

The feeling at ringside was that it was only a matter of time before Carl Greaves-handled McPhilbin nailed him with a big punch again, closed matters and headed back to Nottingham with the British title in his case. But that wasn't to  be the case, and i didn't have him winning another round after that, surprisingly.

A round-by-round breakdown would be unnecessary, as it followed in the same messy and frustrating pattern of attempted punching and falling into hold . Enzo, in essence, mauled his way through the remainder and caught McPhilbin, 26, with punches as he came in - parrying the vicious-looking overhand swings that came his way.

The sessions were marred by lots of claiming, but Maccarinelli did score a knockdown in the ninth which, in truth, looked more of a push. Normal business was resumed in the eleventh, however, and though i thought the champion put in a solid effort in the final three minutes, i still scored it level for a 115-111 tally.

My way of scoring was agreed with by Victor Loughlin, with Birmingham's Terry O'Connor marking it 116-111 and Wellingborough's John Keane seeing it 115-110. The scores may have varied but they were unanimous and there was no doubting the winner, whose showing have convinced many that he should hang his gloves up before he suffers another heavy knockout defeat.

Maccarinelli improves to 35-5 (27); McPhilbin, still the Midlands Area champion and surely in line for a rematch or a crack at the vacant title if Enzo, as expected, vacates, drops to 8-3 (5).

Welborn retains Midlands belt with power show

Jason Welborn had predicted in the run-up to his Midlands Area welterweight title defence that he'd be too strong for his challenger.

And so it proved as the bull-strong champion dropped and stopped Coventry's James Flinn in five rounds in the chief support to Shane McPhilbin's British cruiserweight title defence against former world champion Enzo Maccarinelli in Wolverhampton on Friday night [March 23].

The BoxNation cameras were in town to capture an intriguing-looking all-West Midlands clash over ten rounds - and to see improving Welborn [10st 6lbs 8oz] post his best performance to date.

Pre-fight, local opinion was divided on whether Flinn's solid, neat skills - which saw him represent Wales in the unpaid code and reach a national semi - or Welborn's much-vaunted strength and power would win the day.

And after three absorbing rounds of hard-to-score action, on a PJ Promotions and Frank Warren-promoted card at a sold-out and lively Civic Hall in the Black Country, nothing was any clearer; i had them winning a round apiece and had the opening three minutes even.

But from the fourth onwards you had a sneaking suspicion that the determination and strength of the Tividale fighter, who took the Midlands belt from another Coventry scrapper - southpaw Sean McKervey - in three rounds last November, would slowly break Flinn [10st 6lbs 10oz] down.

I couldn't split the pair during the first round. Though former two-time British Masters boss Flinn picked several holes in Errol Johnson-trained Jason's defence with a probing left, the champion roared back inside the last 60 seconds with two overhand ropes when the challenger had his back to the ropes.

James' well-timed one-twos on the back foot secured him the second round on my card, and that was in spite of an on-the-neck punch that sent him down on the bell [no count]. But after starting brightly and sending sweat flying from Welborn's head early in the third, the Andre Yerou-trained stylist found himself increasingly under fire.

The 25-year-old Black Country banger thumped home the heavier and more hurtful-looking punches, switched the attack to the body, before bringing it back to the head with a left hook. 

Even so, Flinn, 30, still deflected plenty of blows on his gloves and gave as good as he got in a give-and-take fourth that i gave to the champion on the strength of a right on the bell that snapped the head of Coventry City supporter, now 10-2-1 (2), skywards.

But the fight was slowly being ebbed out of the challenger - and an intense attack, to both body and head, had Flinn down within the opening minute of the fifth. Though up at seven and firing back on the resumption, a left to the body dropped him again and, in spite of beating the count, referee Terry O'Connor waived it off at 2-13.

With the impressive victory, Welborn improves to 9-1 (4) - and suffered his only professional defeat to Ingle-trained Nottingham stylist Tyan Booth four years ago. That was at super-middleweight and Jason is targeting a tilt at the English 10st 7lbs belt, currently held by former British boss Lee Purdy, by the summer.

Keane dominates as Gethin and Anderson have early nights

Chris Keane displayed the type of quick-fisted skills that many believe will take him to a British title.

The Walsall cruiserweight returned to action for the first time in 15 months on a Paul Rowson and Frank Warren-promoted bill at Wolverhampton Civic Hall on Friday night [March 23] and shredded the first layer of rust against Lithuanian iron man Remigijus Ziausys.

Ziausys has only been halted once [in his sixth outing] in a 72-contest career that has largely been compiled at heavyweight and includes extending Dereck Chisora six rounds last year. 

The iron-jawed Eastern European conceded a 60-54 decision that night and the same scoreline was tallied by Rob Chalmers after his battle with Keane [13st 13 1/2lbs], who won the ABAs and Four Nations in just 16 amateur bouts.

As to be expected after 15 months on the sidelines, Keane didn't always shine. But at times he boxed beautifully off his rapid jab - following up with fast-handed one-twos to head and body. Ziausys' face was reddened inside the opening round and it didn't get much better for him in the sessions that followed.

He hit back often but was out-boxed by the Paul Hudson-trained, Frank Warren-promoted cruiser, who made the swollen-faced 27-year-old's legs do a little dance with a stinging uppercut in the fourth. More bursts of two-fisted blows thumped home in the final six minutes and though well beaten, Remigijus [13st 7lbs] was still in his West Midlands foe's face at the final bell.

Keane, now unbeaten in five [one early], can kick on from this and is hoping for regular action after just a handful of bouts in three years. He's also looking to be the next boxer from the Black Country, after Stourbridge's Rob Norton, to wear the British cruiserweight title. I wouldn't bet against it.

Another British title-chasing fighter from Walsall, hard-hitting two-time English lightweight boss Martin Gethin, registered an early night against heavier Hungarian Csaba Torma [10st 9lbs], now 6-7 (5).

Gethin, 28 and who returned from a long absence in November, looked disinterested in his last fight, an International Masters welterweight title-winning ten-rounder against Ivan Godor in Peterborough two weeks ago, but was a different animal in Wolverhampton.

The former British Masters and Midlands Area champion picked well-timed overhand rights in the first and then plowed forward with both hands to force Mr Chalmers to halt the slaughter at 1-59 of the second. Torma - bloody-nosed, outclassed and offering nothing back - didn't protest the stoppage.

Now with a 21-3-1 (8) professional tab, Errol Johnson-trained Gethin [10st 4 1/4bs] is back in the hunt for a shot at Anthony Crolla's Lonsdale Belt at 9st 9lbs. One or two more impressive-looking wins in the coming months and the Black Countryman will be banging very loudly on the Mancunian's door.

It was set for six.

Talking of impressive stoppages, Dudley's Dean Anderson [9st 7 1/2lbs] boxed for the first time since Sid Razak snapped his unbeaten run in December 2010 and aimed a brutal attack at Robin Deakin's body until Gareth Morris halted the contest in the second.

A former NABC amateur champion for Priory Park ABC, Anderson is a good boxer with a decent dig in his gloves. But he has a reputation of losing his cool - and it was this hot-headedness that cost him his fight with sturdy Razak, who turned the tables to stop his opponent in just two minutes and 42 seconds.

But Dean battered durable Deakin [9st 10lbs] in the five minutes the bout lasted. 

His ribs red and sore inside the opening 90 seconds, 47-bout Robin spent nearly all of his time on the ropes trying to fend off the Black Country puncher's attack. He saw out the first stanza but after two minutes of the second - and after a further two-fisted rib-crunching assault from Anderson - Mr Morris had seen enough.

Errol Johnson-handled Anderson improves to 3-1 (2) and is a welcome re-addition to the Midlands lightweight scene.

Costello shines in seconds; Cunningham impress over distance

Thomas Costello needed just 130 seconds to post the stand-out performance in Wolverhampton.

The Birmingham light-middleweight, fighting on the BoxNation-televised undercard of Paul Rowson and Frank Warren's joint bill at the Civic Hall on Friday night [March 23], blew away over-matched Slovakian Lubomir Wejs in under a round and looks ready for harder assignments.

Though the opponent looked woefully inept, it was hard not to be impressed with the former top-rated amateur stylist - a former Junior ABA and Four Nations boss who seems to have been around forever but is still only 23. 

Costello turned over with Richie Woodhall five years ago but back-to-back stoppages in the previous nine months, after an absence of over a year prior to last June, suggests that his power is improving as his body fills out. 

The Brummie fights tall and even when a left to the body slammed home and swept the 35-contest Eastern European off his feet early on, Thomas [11st 4lbs 4oz] refused to rush his work. Instead, he picked his shots, waited for the opening to present itself again and, when it did, repeated the trick to force referee Rob Chalmers' intervention with 50 seconds remaining.

Though the 33-year-old didn't touch down on that occasion, he was doubled over in agony and the stoppage was undoubtedly the right one.

Trained in Chelmsley Wood by dad John, Costello has only one blemish on an eleven-fight ledger - a six-round draw with erratic Lee Noble. Friday night's one-sided dismissal was his fourth stoppage as a pro and, if he can make 11st, a Birmingham-Black Country Midlands Area title showdown with Jamie Ball would be welcomed.

For the record, that was only the second time that Wejs [11st 7lbs] had been taken out in the opening round.

Another West Midlander to impress both a television audience and those who'd paid to be at the packed-out Civic was Stafford super-middleweight Grant Cunningham [12st 4lbs 6oz], who dominated his four-rounder with always-game Lincolnshire brawler Ryan Clark.

Clark's toughness [only halted twice in 59] and activity [27 outings in 2011 alone] has won him a host of admirers and even secured him an International Masters title shot with Burton's Jonjo Finnegan, seated behind me at ringside, at Derby Country FC's ground later next month.

But though Ryan [12st 4lbs 8oz] offered trademark courage, 28-year-old Cunningham was simply too talented. The solid lead of the Errol Johnson-handled Staffordshire stylist had left Clark red-faced inside the opening 60 seconds - and continued to prize his guard open to leave him bloody-nosed at the bell.

After avoiding the looping overhand rights of Carl Greaves-trained Clark, Grant continued to spear through the jab in the rounds that followed, even rattling his Navenby-based opponent with a left to the body and double right hand upstairs in the third and a neatly-threaded left uppercut in the last.

Cunningham, now 3-0 (1), romped home a 40-36 winner for Mr Chalmers and is definitely one to watch out for.

Three out of three for Cooper-trained trio

Shaun Cooper woke up on Saturday morning a happy man.

The former undefeated pro from Dudley is now a successful trainer and had three fighters on the Paul Rowson-promoted, BoxNation-televised bill at Wolverhampton Civic Hall on Friday night [March 23] - and all three ran out winners.

Most impressive was unbeaten Brierley Hill light-middleweight Kyle Spencer [11st 2lbs 6oz], who expertly solved the tricky southpaw puzzle set him by capable Rick Boulter.

Boulter's record may only show one win in 23 [three draws] but he's a willing type of scrapper who held come-backing Jeff Thomas, later to secure a place on Prizefighter, to a six-round draw 12 months ago.

Against neat-boxing Spencer, though, the Carl Greaves-handled survivor could do little but offer occasional left-handed swipes as his Black Country opponent piled up the points to earn a deserved 40-36 nod from Terry O'Connor, scoring on the outside for trialist official Gareth Morris.

The ex-Lions ABC stylist, 22, has yet to have dropped a session in his first two paid outings and looks a good prospect. He worked well off the jab, pushed the Lincolnshire man back onto the ropes and tattooed him with an assortment of solid blows in the show-opening four-threes.

Kyle looked calm and controlled throughout and his dominance was underlined by a straight left and follow-up right in the final three minutes that stiffened the legs of Boulter [11st 3lbs 6oz], who finished marked-up under both eyes. 

Another to move to two fights without a blemish was well-supported Stourbridge welterweight Steven Pearce, who also had the added bonus of celebrating his first early night as a professional fighter.

After a slow opening three minutes against normally-sturdy and heavily-tattooed Matt Seawright [10st 12lbs 2oz], 27-year-old Pearce smashed the Tamworth trier to the canvas in the second and finished the job 49 seconds into the third of a scheduled four-threes.

Up until the first knockdown, however, Matt was doing well. He took the opening session on my card after getting home with several left hooks. But Steven [10st 11lbs] justified his hard-hitting reputation when he decked his opponent with a well-timed right uppercut in the second. 

Though up at six, Scotland-born Seawright was forced to fend off a wild two-fisted barrage thereafter. 

It didn't get any better for him. Cut by the right eye, he shipped a heavy right uppercut early on and after another burst of blows rained in, referee Morris stepped in and stopped it, though not before slipping on the canvas and falling face-first into Pearce's corner.

Laughter rang around the packed Civic Hall from everyone but Seawright, who was adamant he was stopped too early. He may have had a point.

And in a show-closing four-threes played out in front of a pocket of die-hards, featherweight Saquib Amir [aka Zak The Ripper] fended off the spirited charge of 151-bout Delroy Spencer, making his first-ever paid appearance in the city he lives, to register a 39-37 victory.

The crowd-pleasing Halesowen 29-year-old [8st 13lbs] now has three wins from four contests and is already on his third trainer, after spells with Roy Skeldon [first two bouts] and Errol Johnson [his last one]. 

The latest link-up, with a trainer who recorded 16 professional victories in 16 before hanging up the gloves, looks to have done him the power of good. The self-styled 'Ripper' looks a more measured operator than on previous viewings - wasting fewer punches and moving his upper body well.

Walsall-born Spencer [8st 10lbs 4oz] may be 44 in just over three months but nipped in and out and found the mark on occasions with the odd slapping hook. He disputed the decision at the bell [though, in truth, i had it the same, 3-1 in rounds] but was generally outworked by an aggressive little fighter whose work was cleaner.

Terry O'Connor scored at ringside for Mr Morris.

Brummie veteran Razak to fight for Midlands belt

Not many fighters are handed a crack at a title after 91 fights, 11 years of action and pushing 40.

But durable Brummie Sid Razak's reward for securing three victories in the past 12 months is an opportunity to spoil the maiden defence of Amir Unsworth's Midlands Area lightweight title.

Razak has long been regarded as the toughest journeymen on the circuit but gets the opportunity, like Billy Smith did after a decent run five years ago, to add champion to that tag against a former English 9st 9lbs title challenger who'll fight in front of his home town supporters on May 19.

Carl Greaves promotes at Sleaford's Northgate Sports Hall and it'll be Lincolnshire-based Unsworth's first defence of a belt he won with a three-round smashing of Wolverhampton's always-exciting Steve Saville in late 2010. 

Since then, though, he's scored just a solitary victory in three, including back-to-back reversals to Derry Mathews and William Warburton in the second-half of 2011. Blasted out in eight seconds short of three minutes by Mathews, Amir, 13-5-1 (2), will look to throw himself back into the English title mix with a win over the Second City veteran.

But this isn't likely to be a straight-forward defence. 

The Peter Buckley-handled 39-year-old former British Masters featherweight title challenger has heard the final bell on 85 occasions and his 447 rounds-worth of experience, compiled in nine fights short of a century, will stand him in excellent stead for the 30-minute East vs West Midlands title showdown.

Four of his eight paid wins [three stoppages] have arrived against then-unbeaten prospects expecting another 'W' - and one of his best, a two-round spanking of much-vaunted Irishman Damian Taggart, 5-1, was against a big-punching boxer lined up to challenge for his country's national title. 

Shaven-headed Razak will look to unleash similar form in eight weeks.

I'm more than a puncher, says fired-up Welborn

Jason Welborn has hit back at suggestions he's little more than a one-dimensional brawler.

The Midlands Area welterweight champion puts his belt on the line for the first time on Friday [March 23], on a BoxNation-televised, Paul Rowson-promoted bill at Wolverhampton Civic Hall, claiming there's more to his game than power.

Welborn captured his treasured title with a three-round thumping of erratic southpaw Sean McKervey at Walsall Town Hall in November, but can expect a different challenge from another Coventry-based scrapper, James Flinn, 10-1-1 (2), in two days time.

The neat-boxing two-time British Masters boss anticipates being too well-rounded for his flat-footed opponent - and after an amateur career that includes international experience for Wales and pro scalps of capable duo William Warburton and Ben Lawler, who entered on the back of a stoppage victory over unbeaten Rob Hunt, it's hardly a surprise.

Welborn can't boast anywhere near that type of experience. With only ten fights to his name [one win as an amateur and eight wins out of nine in the pros], he's still very much a novice, albeit one who's improved under the tutelage of Black Country fight figure Errol Johnson.

And it's that steady improvement, blended with his fitness, vaunted strength and solid power [three stoppages], that the popular Black Country puncher believes will be the recipe for a successful maiden defence. "We've been working on a few things in the gym," said the 25-year-old, who has never done more than six rounds before.

"Flinn thinks all i'll be able to do is move forwards all night, but I've been sparring with good boxers instead of brawlers," he continued. "He's a nice boxer who has a long amateur career behind him but i'm ready.

"I want to test myself and this is the fight to do it. Plenty are predicting i'll get picked off and out-boxed but i'm going to show that there is a lot more to me than just a strong lad who likes a scrap.

"I'm not going to give my title up without one hell of a fight - and i don't know if he has that same fight and drive in him," Welborn pondered ahead of his second scheduled ten-rounder. 

"I've only lost to [Nottingham's Ingle-trained switcher Tyan] Booth, who was all over the place and heavier. That was a long time ago, though, and i can't see many people around at this weight who would beat me."

For the record, the doors now open at 6pm, with the first bell at 6:30pm. It had previously been advertised as an 8pm start.

Coldwell returns to Brum with Al Harbi-Mutley

Nasser Al Harbi has been handed his second Birmingham vs Black Country clash in as many outings.

That's because the stylish-boxing Brummie will meet former British welterweight champion and recent Prizefighter semi-finalist Young Mutley in an attractive-looking main event on Dave Coldwell's next promotion in Birmingham, inked in for May 11 at New Bingley Hall.

Fast-moving Al Harbi [pictured] is only four days removed from controversially having the first blemish etched onto his 14-fight [13 wins and a draw, one early] professional ledger.

A cut next to Nasser's right eye led to his English 11st title eliminator with Jamie Ball, himself undefeated in 14 entering, last week being halted half-way through the fourth and marked a Technical Draw. Though neither man suffered defeat with that outcome, there was controversy aplenty.

And a rematch looked the most obvious choice, especially as Ball and his camp insisted the cut had been caused by a left and that he alone should have had his hand raised. That notion was disputed by Nasser's corner, though, who were equally adamant it was the Coseley southpaw's head that caused the damage, something agreed with by referee Terry O'Connor.

But the 22-year-old returns to welterweight, where he won his WBC Asian Council Continental strap in 2010, to tackle an always-dangerous banger from West Bromwich, 30-7 (14), who was good enough to end the 28-fight unbeaten run of Michael Jennings to secure the Lonsdale Belt in 2005 and edge past solid Swede Patrick Bogere.

Still, does 35-year-old veteran Mutley, a former Midlands Area and English boss who took red-hot Second City southpaw Frankie Gavin the full 12 last year, have the legs to trap fleet-footed, quick-fisted Al Harbi? Likewise, does Al Harbi have the know-how and engine to keep bull-strong Mutley off him for ten?

On May 11, on a bill aptly-titled 'Who's Fooling Who?', we'll find out.

Make or break night for Flinn's fighting future

James Flinn has conceded that defeat this week will spell the end.

But the Coventry welterweight, who challenges Jason Welborn for the Midlands Area title in the chief support to Shane McPhilbin's British cruiserweight title defence against Enzo Maccarinelli at Wolverhampton Civic Hall on Friday [March 23], insists it won't come to that.

BoxNation televise the Paul Rowson-promoted bill from the Black Country and Flinn is looking to silence the doubters who believe Welborn, whose 8-1 pro ledger shows three stoppages, will be too powerful.

The flat-footed Rowley Regis-based champion won the Midland strap by bull-dozing another Coventry fighter, southpaw Sean McKervey, late last year and has been looking at securing an English title fight in the summer.

But Welborn's dismissive nature and future title plans have annoyed the challenger. The 30-year-old two-time British Masters 10st 7lbs boss has endured a less-than-ideal training camp but admits that if he can't win at area level then he'll seriously consider his future involvement in a sport he's served for 18 years. 

A hungry boxer is a dangerous one and Flinn has warned his opponent that looking past this ten-rounder will be a massive mistake. Inactive since he lost in an English title challenge to Adil Anwar in November, James had built an eleven-fight unbeaten record [one draw] and a reputation as neat boxer who can punch a bit.

That's hardly surprising after an unpaid career that saw him represent Wales - and it's that background that he believes will be key to victory. "He's been saying that he'll be too strong and hit too hard, but it's nothing I've not seen before," admitted the Andre Yerou-trained Coventry stylist.

"It's all well and good being strong and fit but he's going to need be, as he'll be hitting a lot of air as he comes looking for me," he continued. "For every punch he throws at me, i'll be catching him with three or four, and i hit harder than my record would suggest.

"But i wonder how much of a threat he thinks i am," pondered Flinn, 10-1-1 (2). "He's been saying that he wants an English title fight after this and that he'll walk through me, but i haven't even thought about any future fights. 

"I'm a good boxer, can adapt and i've got aspirations - so if i can't beat Welborn then i'll jack it in. I know how good i am and that i really should be beating lads at this level with a bit left in the tank. 

"But retirement won't be on the agenda because i'll smash him and take his Midlands title," added the ardent Coventry City supporter.

Froch - Bute is either confident or very stupid

Carl Froch has labelled Lucian Bute either confident or stupid after coming face-to-face with him for the first time.

The former two-time WBC world super-middleweight champion made the admission at a press conference at Nottingham's Capital FM Arena, which will stage his hotly-anticipated world title challenge on May 26, today [March 19].

Bute, a 30-fight [24 stoppages] unbeaten Montreal-based Romanian who's considered the number two at the weight after Andre Ward, has long been criticised by the fearless East Midlander for his reluctance to square-off with the elite at 12st and step outside of his adopted Canadian home, where he's fought and won on 25 occasions.

But Froch, who traveled the traditional English, British and Commonwealth route prior to winning the WBC belt in 2008, has admitted he respects the stylish southpaw, 32, for stepping outside of his comfort zone to make the tenth defence of the IBF strap he won with an eleven-round stoppage of Andre Berrio five years ago.

"I've got to give him a lot of credit," conceded the 34-year-old father of one, 28-2 (20). "I've given him some stick in the past for not fighting the best around, like I've done since i won my first world title here [at the 9,000-capacity arena in Nottingham city centre], and not leaving Canada to have a real test.

"But he's coming to my hometown to defend his world title and that either means he's very confident or very, very stupid. In truth, he will be confident as he's a champion. And he'll probably think he's seen a few weaknesses and that he can exploit them. Again, he's very much mistaken.

"I'm ready for this and am pumped at the chance to win a third world title. I'll have the backing of almost 10,000 Nottingham, Midlands and British boxing fans on the night, at a venue I've gone 12-0 at. 

"No trash will be talked beforehand but it's going to be a very bad night for him - especially when i take his title," he roared.

Image courtesy of Matchroom Boxing.

Macklin falls short in WBC title challenge

Leading up to their WBC Diamond middleweight title clash, Matthew Macklin was convinced he had the ability to beat Sergio Martinez.

And entering the ninth of their battle at New York's Madison Square Garden on Saturday night [March 17], the Birmingham puncher's pre-fight confidence looked justified as he led on all three of the judges scorecards [two scores of 76-75 and a 78-73].

But like he'd done against Barnet's Darren Barker in his last contest, in Atlantic City in October, Martinez stormed back down the finishing straight and decked Macklin twice in the penultimate session before Buddy McGirt retired his man between rounds.

It was a typically brave and all-action showing from the Irish-rooted 29-year-old, who lost the opening two rounds for me. Quick and accurate, the pound-for-pound number three-rated Martinez's footwork maneuvered himself into position to catch Macklin off-balance in the second.

Yet the Brummie would take four of the next five on my scorecard [a view shared by all three scoring judges]. He stepped into range and fired off bursts of combinations at the California-based South American, who found himself under increasing pressure. By the fifth Macklin was getting the better of the exchanges and, satisfied with his work, raised his hands at the bell.

The sixth was better for the 37-year-old two-weight world champion, though, and his jab [doubled and sometimes tripled] slammed home with ease. The quick-fisted southpaw took that session on my card [i had it 57 apiece at this stage] but there was no doubting the victor of the seventh. 

After some even trading early on, former British and two-time European boss Matthew slammed home a right that caught Martinez with his feet splayed, sending the gloves of the world's best middleweight towards the canvas. Though it wasn't a knockdown in the traditional sense of the word, referee Bill Cotton counted and the challenger handed a 10-8 session.

But that was to be the last hurrah for the Brian Peters-managed fighter, who controversially lost a 12-round split decision to WBA world champion Felix Sturm in Germany last summer, and he didn't win a stanza on two of the three judges' scorecards thereafter.

The speed that had been so effective for the Buenos Aires-born stylist in the first six minutes again shone through. He timed his jab to perfection to halt the charge of the willing West Midlander and his pressure meant Macklin, who looked gassed, spent increasing periods of time on the back foot.

Then Macklin couldn't take the heat and pace in the eleventh and unraveled, twice dropped by the lightening-fast left backhand of the portsider in the final 30 seconds. Though he beat the second count, handed to him on the bell, trainer McGirt wisely pulled his brave fighter out before any serious damage could be inflicted in the last.

At the time of the corner retirement, Julie Lederman had it all-square 103-103, with Don Trella and Carlos Ortiz Jr both having the speedy southpaw, whose record improves to 49-2-2 (28) and who registered his fifth win against a British boxer [Adrian Stone, Richard Williams [twice] and Barker], ahead 105-101.

Afterwards, a disappointed Macklin, now 28-4 (19), admitted a lack of concentration meant he payed the ultimate price. "I switched off a little bit upstairs - stopped moving my head," conceded the ardent Birmingham City supporter from Solihull.

"I tired a little bit in the final few rounds, but it wasn't extreme fatigue," marked-up Macklin continued. "I slowed a bit, stopped moving my head and got a bit heavy on my feet, which meant he caught me square-on.

"I gave it 100 per cent and think everyone would agree. I just hope i haven't let anyone down."

Inconclusive end to battle of unbeaten Midlanders

In the last significant clash pitting Birmingham against the Black Country, a cut prematurely ended what was set to be a fascinating encounter.

That was when Wayne Elcock controversially retained his British middleweight title with a two-round injury stoppage over Dudley's Darren McDermott at Wolverhampton Civic Hall in 2008. McDermott insisted he could have continued.

And four years on, in the main event on Dave Coldwell's excellent-value bill at Birmingham's New Bingley Hall last night, a similar incident happened again.

This time, though, it was a meeting between Coseley southpaw Jamie Ball and Second City stylist Nasser Al Harbi [pictured at the weigh-in on Thursday, with promoter Coldwell in the centre] with the right to challenge Erik Ochieng for the English 11st title as the prize awaiting the victor.

Yet neither man left with a defeat etched onto their ledger as a cut on the side of Al Harbi's right eye brought an end to the bout at 1-36 of the fourth. Under the British Boxing Board of Control's recently-revised rules, the contest would have been have won by Ball had the referee deemed the injury was inflicted by a punch.

But referee Terry O'Connor decided the wound had arrived by the head of Ball and not his fist, meaning that, as four rounds had not been completed, a Technical Draw was announced. Al Harbi insisted he could have carried on and his opponent adamant that a left had opened up the wound.

In truth, my view was obscured by a board official and i can't comment on the exact truth of the matter. But Ball, by all accounts, had a nasty-looking swelling on his head afterwards and the answer to the question of whether or not it was a glove or a skull that did the damage may lie there.

But what i will say, however, is that i thought that the corner, led by Al Harbi's dad Naji, should have been allowed the chance to work on that cut at the end of the fourth. From where i was sitting - as close to the ring as can be without actually being in it - it looked as if the blood was trickling away from his eye.

Anyway, the inconclusive nature of the ending means that neither man is any further along the road than they were prior to a hotly-anticipated ten-rounder between a brace of young, unbeaten and hungry fighters who were eager to make a charge onto the domestic light-middleweight scene.

It had been shaping up nicely at the time, too. Ball, the Midlands Area 11st champion, edged the opening round for me with lefts to the body and then Al Harbi, 22 and a former WBC Asia Council Continental champion, used his silky skills and feet to glide in and out of range to score with sharp hooks in the following session.

Neatly-threaded right uppercuts from Nasser, now 13-0-1 (1) and who shocked many by trading with a taller fighter who was perceived, pre-fight, as being the stronger, handed him the third on my card and matters seemed to be about even when the laceration next to the Brummie's eye opened up just over half-way through the fourth.

Shaun Cooper-trained Ball's record now reads 13-0-2 (4) - the other draw being with Kieron Gray for the vacant Area title in 2010 - and the 27-year-old's promoter, Black Country-based Paul Rowson, was also of the opinion that a punch from Jamie's black gloves did the damage.

But there's only one way to settle this debate - a rematch. After an ending like that, it would be welcomed by everyone who made their way to the Hockley venue.

For the record, Ball weighed 10st 13 1/2lbs; Al Harbi 10st 11lbs 2oz.

Carruthers Masters McCauley for title

Terry Carruthers has hinted on several occasions that he has what it takes to secure himself a professional strap.

And last night, in one of the headlining attractions on Coldwell Boxing's seven-fight card at the Second City's New Bingley Hall, the capable Brummie did just that - outscoring Kevin McCauley 97-94 for the vacant British Masters middleweight title.

Referee Terry O'Connor's tally [equating to 6-3-1 in rounds] looked a trifle generous to McCauley in my eyes, and i had Carruthers [pictured with his belt] a far more convincing 100-92 winner [giving the Stourbridge-based co-challenger a share of rounds seven and eight].

My way of scoring was shared [give or take] by those seated with me at ringside, but though the margin i tolled would suggest a one-sided encounter, the Birmingham vs Black Country ten-rounder was anything but.

McCauley may have a record that's light on wins but is a tough, honest pro who won a Midlands Area belt at welterweight and a British Masters title at 11st. But against an improving Jon Pegg-trained 26-year-old with solid fundamentals, he could do little but offer occasional counter assaults when his opponent bulled forwards.

Heavily-tattooed Terry, from the Lee Bank area of Birmingham, lost his debut scrap in his home city seven years ago but, subsequently, has gone unbeaten there in five [one draw] and has evolved from a care-free swinger to a measured boxer who works his way in behind a solid lead. 

Ex-bantamweight pro Pegg has been integral in that career turnaround from journeyman to dangerman and was pleased with his charge's professional showing against a durable 46-fight veteran [ten wins and three draws] who's handled by Black Country fight figure Errol Johnson.

And Pegg would have been delighted by the start Carruthers [11st 3lbs 14oz] made. After a quiet opening session, the Brummie sprung into life in the second - working the body and thumping rights into the 32-year-old's dome. He made McCauley's legs briefly buckle in the fourth with a short left hook and the same punch did damage three minutes later.

But Kevin [11st 2 1/4lbs] bit on his gum-shield and got his jab working in the seventh, one of the two rounds i thought he shared, cutting his opponent into the bargain with a right. But after making a bright start at the beginning of the eighth, he was stunned by a right to the body and follow-up left to the head in the last 30 seconds.

Holding marred the last two rounds of an always-absorbing 30-minute bout, with tiredness setting into the arms and legs of the willing combatants. But it was Carruthers who had his hand lifted upwards at the bell and the joy etched on his reddened face said more than a thousand words could.

For the new champion, who pushed current British light-middleweight monarch Brian Rose to the wire over six and improves to 10-11-6 (1), it's the first of what he hopes will be many titles. Brave and more composed in recent outings, he's looking to turn his career in the same direction as his soon-to-be Lonsdale Belt-challenging stablemate Max Maxwell.

Bull-like Vaughan lives up to crowd-pleasing reputation

Peter Vaughan can be happy with registering a victory that didn't result in a post-fight shiner. 

The battling Banbury light-middleweight had his first fight under Birmingham fight figure Jon Pegg, on a Dave Coldwell-promoted bill at the Second City's New Bingley Hall last night, and plowed forward constantly to secure a 39-37 nod from Terry O'Connor [scoring on the outside for trialist referee Gareth Morris].

But his opponent, Trowbridge teenager Dan Blackwell, deserves tremendous credit for soaking-up a ferocious body assault and lashing back when under pressure on the ropes.

Fair-skinned and carrot-topped, the self-styled 'Banbury Bull' [one of the most apt monikers in boxing] brought a coach-load of noisy ginger-wigged supporters with him from the town on the Oxfordshire/Warwickshire border and has a Ricky Hatton [albeit at a lower level] air about him. 

Vaughan [11st 5 1/2lbs] ended the nine-fight unbeaten runs of Phill Fury, brother of Tyson, and Wayne Goddard [in Prizefighter] last year and attacks the ribs with the same vigour as the former two-weight world champion from Manchester - and Blackwell's reddened torso attested to that as early as the opening 90 seconds.

Always on the front foot and looking to work, Jim Evans-managed Peter ate plenty of leather throughout the all-action four but whipped-in a steady stream of hooks to head and body to leave the 19-year-old brother of English middleweight boss Nick [11st 6 3/4lbs] marked-up and swollen-faced at the final bell.

Pegg revealed afterwards that his 26-year-old charge, now 5-1-1 (1) and who'd been working on head movement in the lead-up to his, was delighted about finishing a contest without a developing black eye. Remarkably, that was the first time it'd happened in his two-year journey as a professional fighter.

And the well-respected trainer, manager, matchmaker and former pro can be pleased with the work of another one of his fighters, right-leading switch-hitter Craig Cunningham [11st 5 3/4lbs], who i like the look of.

Matched against Scunthorpe's solid and willing Steve Spence [11st 4 1/2lbs] - who entered the four-rounder on the back of a six-round draw in Sheffield six days previously - the punch-picking Brummie middleweight romped home a clear 40-36 winner for Terry O'Connor [scoring on the outside for Mr Morris].

Though i had the Carl Greaves-handled 25-year-old earning a share of the second three minutes, loose-limbed Cunningham controlled the action with an assortment of rights and lefts and used his feet well to nimbly avoid replies. Spence banged his gloves together in defiance on several occasions but was nailed as he marched in and finished with a mouse under his left eye.

Northfield's Cunningham, 24, is now 2-0; Spence 2-17-4 (1),

Another southpaw out of the Midland Boxing Academy, welterweight Calum Cooper [10st 10 3/4lbs], extended his blemish-free start as a paid fighter to three by pounding out a shut-out four-threes decision over Worcestershire's former Midlands Area champion Billy Smith [10st 11 1/4lbs].

Sharp-boxing Cooper, 23, formulated a pattern in the opening round and used it effectively for the remainder of the contest: doubling the lead and spearing through a left backhand. 125-fight iron man Billy, as ever, hit back when under too much pressure but was outworked and finished red-faced as his Longbridge-based opponent's left breached his defence on more than one occasion.

Mr O'Connor scored on the outside for Gareth Morris.

Brace of wins for Black Country duo on Undefeated bill

Rizwan Rasool had a four-round professional baptism that he won't ever forget.

The Dudley light-welterweight, boxing on the undercard of Dave Coldwell's Undefeated show at Birmingham's New Bingley Hall last night [March 16], survived a opening-round wobble to edge home against durable dangerman Dan Carr.

Referee Rob Chalmers' 39-38 decision [or 2-1-1 in rounds] raised a few eyebrows at ringside but i wouldn't have had an issue with either man having their glove lofted skywards after a messy four-threes.

After all, it was a scrappy, hard-to-score contest that saw quality work and clean punching at a premium. When a rare bit of neat boxing arrived, though, it was always delivered from the Shaun Cooper-trained first-timer's fists.

But there is plenty of work for Rasool [9st 12 3/4lbs] to do in the gym. After making a solid start behind the jab, his legs momentarily betrayed him after shipping a left in the last 60 seconds. Though he re-grouped to see out the follow-up attack, a moment's lapse in concentration cost him the opening round on my card.

You get the feeling 'Dirty Dan', from Trowbridge, could be a half-decent campaigner. His ledger shows just two wins and two draws in 26 but six have those have been by single-point margins in his opponents back yard - and he thumped in enough punches last night to have a legitimate argument for his first win of the year.

The sturdy 24-year-old [10st 12oz] looked to repeat the left hook trick in the second and third rounds but, especially so in the second, absorbed several neatly-threaded uppercuts from a well-supported Black Countryman, 30, who failed to put his punches together in combinations and had a tendency to carry his chin high.

And after being warned to clean things up by Mr Chalmers at the beginning of the penultimate session, the pair continued to trade on level terms for the duration of the bout. Carr was unhappy with the referee's decision and i, like Carr's promoter Paul Rowson, couldn't separate them at the bell.

For the record, it was Rizza's first slice of competitive action in over a decade.

Another Black Country boxer on the bill - tall, tanned Tipton light-heavyweight Adam Corbett - improved his professional record to three fights without loss [one inside] with a show-opening four-twos shut-out victory over Nick Gigg [13st 1lb], now winless in five.

Errol Johnson-handled Corbett [12st 12lbs] dominated the eight-minute bout - forcing the Bristol-based boxer back onto the ropes with a solid lead and long right. Gigg, 35, tried to make a fight of it but was repeatedly speared with the jab and forced to survive a two-fisted onslaught on the ropes in both the second and last stanzas.

Mr Chalmers officiated.