Hunt targets title challenges in 2012

Rob Hunt goes into his first fight of 2012 with a training team that led Chris Edwards to a brace of British titles.

The former hotly-tipped Stafford welterweight [pictured] has endured an indifferent past two years that has seen him fight only three times and suffer his first-ever defeat as a boxer, amateur or pro.

Former kick-boxer Hunt won both of his unpaid contests and then put together a 14-bout [one draw] unbeaten paid record before Ben Lawler dropped the bloodied West Midlander three times on the way to a unexpected six-round victory for the vacant British Masters welterweight at the tail end of 2010.

Lawler had previously had to scrape himself off the floor in losing a shut-out six-rounder to Hunt two months before their title rematch. Since then, though, the 26-year-old's career has stuttered - and his fight with slippery Dewsbury-based Syrian Youssef Al Hamidi at Chester's Northgate Arena on Saturday [March 3] will be his first for nearly ten months.

Now with Lyndon Newbon, the Stoke-based trainer who turned flyweight Chris Edwards from a solid journeyman into a two-weight British and Commonwealth champion, Rob's predicting a big year and a Midlands Area light-welterweight title showdown with the winner of Dave Ryan's defence against Chris Truman in Burton later this month.

Before the Staffordshire scrapper can turn his attention towards title action, however, he's going to have to get past Chris Aston-trained Al Hamidi, a 51-bout former British Masters boss who holds paid victories over reigning British lightweight champion Anthony Crolla and, last time out, touted Jason Hastie, then 8-1, who was beaten up over six without taking a session. 

But Hunt, who boxed Matt Seawright on a Eurosport-televised bill the last time he was in competitive action, is just glad to have a contest lined up. "It's been a frustrating and disappointing last couple of years for me, what with the inactivity and losing my first fight," admitted the tall, long-armed and measured ticket-seller, 15-1-1 (1).

"I'm just glad that I've got a decent test with someone who will give me a few rounds and then, if it can be secured by Mick [Carney, manager], i'd like to drop down to light-welterweight and take the Midlands title off Dave Ryan or Chris Truman. I'm not bothered who the champion at the time is i just want to have the belt.

"If i lose again then i'll seriously think about retiring. This is a huge year for me," added ex-Paul Dykes-handled Hunt.