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.

Macklin - Martinez has had his day

Matthew Macklin intends on making his opponent feel every day of his 37 years tomorrow night.

The brick-fisted Brummie challengers pound-for-pounder Sergio Martinez for the WBC Diamond middleweight title and the right to be called the best middleweight on the planet at New York's Madison Square Garden on Saturday evening [March 17].

Though many are tipping the Argentinian to know too much and register his 49th professional victory in 53 [two draws and 27 stoppages], Macklin plans on making his opponent, who stopped ex-British, Commonwealth and European boss Darren Barker last time out, use those 37-year-old legs.

Former British and two-time continental champion Macklin had his first amateur contest on St Patrick's Day in 1994 and, 18 years later, stands on the precipice of greatness. The Irish-rooted West Midlander controversial lost in a challenge for the WBA title in Germany last summer, conceding a 12-round split to Felix Sturm, in a fight the majority had him winning.

But the 29-year-old is insistent that everything happens for a reason and that the long, hard road, including a heavy knockout loss to Jamie Moore in a British 11st title challenge in 2006, will be worth it after the 36-minute bout with the Californian-based southpaw.

"It's been a long road to get here," began the ardent Birmingham City supporter from Solihull, 28-3 (19). "I've won Irish, British and European titles - and got stiffed out of winning the WBA world title against Felix Sturm last summer. But everything happens for reason and that performance brought me here, to face the best in the division.

"Since i started boxing on St Patrick's Day in 1994, at the Grand Hotel in Birmingham, I've always believed i could go all the way in the sport. On Saturday i get the chance to do that but also to beat not only the best middleweight on earth but one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in any weight division.

"Every dog has his day but he is 37 years old and i'm going to make him feel every single day of those. There will be, without doubt, a new world middleweight champion by Sunday morning," he roared.

Image courtesy of Ed Diller/ DiBella Entertainment.

Al Harbi - I'm several levels above Ball

Nasser Al Harbi believes Jamie Ball will be taught a lesson on the levels they're currently operating at.

The unbeaten all-Midlands pair clash in a ten-rounder, on a solid-looking Dave Coldwell-promoted bill at Birmingham's New Bingley Hall tomorrow evening [March 16], for the right to challenge Erik Ochieng for his English light-middleweight title.

But smooth-boxing Al Harbi [pictured] is adamant that he'll be too talented for the reigning Midlands Area 11st champion from Coseley, who has just a solitary draw [against tough Telford trier Kieron Gray for the vacant Area belt in 2010] against 13 professional victories [four stoppages].

Trained by his father, Naji, the fleet-footed 22-year-old WBC Asia Council Continental boss is looking to make 2012 one to remember after a frustrating 2011 that promised much but only delivered 12 rounds of action, against durable pair Duncan Cottier and Lee Noble in July and September. 

Instead, he should have been participating in career-hardest tests against then-unbeaten Irishman Dean Byrne and big-hitting former Commonwealth light-middleweight champion Matthew Hall - only to see the eight-rounders fall through a week or so before they were due to swap leather.

Yet Ball, a 27-year-old southpaw trained by his uncle, former unbeaten pro Shaun Cooper, could prove to be as difficult as either as the said pair. Long-armed and with a solid dig on him, Jamie has registered three inside-the-distance victories in as many fights, including an eight-round body shot KO over tough ex-Marine AA Lowe.

None of this worries Nasser, though, who is vocal in his belief that he has the required skills to win this and progress onwards. "I'm superior in ever department: speed, skills, movement and power," boasted the Yemeni-rooted Brummie ahead of the most significant Birmingham vs Black Country scrap since Wayne Elcock successfully defended his British title against Darren McDermott in 2008.

"I'm taking nothing away from Jamie, as he's a well-rounded pro with a lot of heart. He gives it his all in every fight but this about levels - and i'm several above him," Al Harbi, 13-0 (1), continued. "When Ball realises that i'm not there to be hit, it's going to be a very frustrating night for him.

"I'm not looking ahead of my opponent and i'm sure he's going think he can get the better of me, but i'm going to show Birmingham just how good i am and secure that fight with Ochieng. This is just the beginning," he added.

Connelly out to right debut wrongs

John Connelly has vowed to show Birmingham what he's really about this week. 

The 27-year-old goes into his four-rounder with Earl's Court-based South African Bheki Moyo on Friday [March 16], on a Dave Coldwell-promoted bill at the Second City's New Bingley Hall, having split his first two paid outings.

Surprisingly, though, it's not the defeat that the Brummie [pictured] portsider is most disappointed about - it's his debut victory.

Connelly edged past game same-city survivor Sid Razak on his pro bow at Edgbaston's Tower Ballroom in September [39-38], but conceded a combination of nerves and a build-up of 48 months-worth of rust tarnished what should have been a night to celebrate.

Subsequently, he's taken a last-minute four-rounder on the road, losing on points [39-37] to unbeaten Huddersfield-born Mancunian Marvin Greaves at Oldham Sports Centre three weeks ago, and though he surrendered his unbeaten record that night has made a breakthrough. 

Far from his maiden blemish being a negative for the Jon Pegg-handled light-welterweight-cum-welterweight, who accepted the call to arms in Greater Manchester the night before, it's actually turned out to be a positive.

Connelly, a former solider who served in Iraq, is adamant that the defeat has taught him more about professional boxing than his solitary win did - and plans on using this new-found knowledge to his advantage in front of a packed local crowd in the Jewellery Quarter in just over two days time.

"Even though i won my debut, it wasn't a great night for me," confessed the 42-bout unpaid performer [Ironworks ABC] from the Northfield area of the city. "I went from not boxing for four years to turning up at the [Midland Boxing Academy] gym and then fighting Razak three months later.

"I was so tense that night and that's not me at all. In truth, the occasion got to me and it was disappointing to only just about get by on points when i knew i had the ability to win with more comfort. But i feel more relaxed this time and looking forward to showing my city what i can really do when i'm on form.

"A lot of that has to do with the last-minute job i accepted last month," he continued. "Although i lost by a couple of rounds and it was a fair result, i felt the pressure was off and it's calmed me down.

"I like a challenge and, after Friday, if Jon came to me with another fight away from Birmingham then i'd take. It's important for me to learn my trade, whether that's fights at home or on the road, and when the time comes from me to challenge for a title then i'll be ready to take it."

Naji Al Harbi - Nasser will be too good for Ball

Jamie Ball has been warned that if underestimates Nasser Al Harbi's strength, he does so at his peril.

That's the message from Nasser's dad and trainer Naji as the Midlands pair get ready to cross swords in an hotly-anticipated Birmingham vs Black Country English light-middleweight title eliminator at the Second City's New Bingley Hall on Friday evening [March 16].

Dave Coldwell promotes the good-value seven-fight card and the ten-round bill-topper between a brace of young, hungry and unbeaten Midlanders who are eager to make a dent on the domestic scene has opinion divided. 

Though many fancy Al Harbi's skill, quick fists and neat boxing to be too much over the 30-minute distance, there are some who feel that Shaun Cooper-trained Ball, 27 and the Midlands Area champion at 11st, has the edge in power, strength and size.

But Naji, who took over the training responsibilities of his 13-fight unbeaten [one quickly], 22-year-old son from former WBC world champion Richie Woodhall in 2009, doesn't subscribe to that notion. He points out that Nasser, who won the WBC Asia Council Continental welterweight strap in 2010, has boxed bigger men and that he's impressed Matthew Hatton in recent sparring sessions.

Even Coseley southpaw Jamie, 13-0-1 (4), has been vocal in his belief that he'll be too strong, but his opponent's corner have lashed back with a verbal counter. "Ball and his team believe that they'll be able to bully Nasser back on Friday, but that won't be the case," said a confident-sounding Al Harbi Sr. 

"Nasser has boxed bigger men known for their strength in the past and even fought an unbeaten light-heavyweight early on as a pro and still won with ease. So if Ball think's he can out-muscle or bully his way to victory then he's in for massive shock.

"We take nothing away from Jamie, who is a decent lad and an honest fighter who won't stop trying, but there are so many ways that my son can win this. If Ball comes to box, he'll be out-boxed; he comes to try and fight and drag it into a toe-to-toe war then he'll be caught with punch after punch.

"Nasser has yet to have moved out of second gear and that'll be illustrated perfectly on the night of the fight. It's going to be a very long night for Ball," he added.

Ex-Commonwealth champ Callum wins in 90 seconds

Callum Johnson took the frustration of eight months out of the ring on the head and body of Tommy Tolan.

The well-muscled Lincoln light-heavyweight won Commonwealth Games gold in 2010 but after three contests in his first six months as a paid fighter he'd, prior to Saturday night, been inactive since July.

But, on the BoxNation-televised undercard of Ricky Burns' WBO lightweight title defence against Paulus Moses in Glasgow [March 10], Johnson [12st 7lbs 12oz] showed little signs of rust as he blew away Irishman Tolan, four wins in 13 entering [three stoppages], in just 90 one-sided seconds.

Tolan had been taken out in two by Beijing Olympic bronze medalist Tony Jeffries in 2010 but had gone the six-round distance with Prizefighter champion Rocky Fielding in Liverpool last year. But he wasn't allowed to gain a foothold in the scheduled four-rounder by a former Midlands ABA champion who won his Commonwealth metal whilst representing Scotland.

Left-right-lefts and a quick left to the body had the Belfast-based banger [12st 6 1/2lbs] stoutly defended on the ropes in a desperate attempt to survive the 26-year-old's early blitzkrieg. But a clubbing right hand behind the ear sent him to his knees and referee Kenny Pringle waived it off as Tolan's corner tossed in the towel at 1-30.

And in the post-fight interview, Joe Gallagher-trained Callum hinted that activity is what he's after - and hopes that four or five fight progression fights can be tucked under his belt in the next 12 months. "Coming out here and fighting just before the main event made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up," said 'The One' Johnson, now 4-0 (2).

"I picked my shots well and he couldn't take it. I've just come back with a bang," he added.

Champion Gethin unhappy with sloppy showing

Martin Gethin completed the first leg of potentially 16 rounds of boxing in just two weeks - but was far from happy with his night's work.

The relaxed Walsall lightweight added the International Masters welterweight title to an ever-growing collection that sees a brace of English [pictured], a Midlands Area [both at 9st 9lbs] and British Masters [10st] belts in his trophy cabinet.

But Gethin finished the scrappy ten-rounder against naturally-bigger Slovakian Ivan Godor in Peterborough - tallied 98-95 in his favour by referee Ken Curtis - with a marked-up face and a hideous-looking swelling on his left eye.

Though i had the Errol Johnson-trained puncher a far more commanding 99-93 victor [giving the Eastern European the ninth and a share of the two rounds that proceeded it], it was never easy, difficult to watch and saw heads frequently rub together.

He's penciled in to box over six on a BoxNation-televised, Paul Rowson-promoted bill at Wolverhampton Civic Hall on March 23, topped by Shane McPhilbin's British cruiserweight title defence against former WBO world champion Enzo Maccarinelli, and will be hoping for a more clinical performance.

The Black Countryman lacked the fluidity that secured him stoppages over then-undefeated Yorkshire pair Nadeem Siddique, 22-0, and John Fewkes, 17-0, but this was only his second outing in just over two years, after a serious back complaint almost forced him to retire from the sport he's served so well.

Yet Gethin [10st 1lb] was, on the whole, too well-rounded and talented for the durable European import, who'd extended Tyrone Nurse and Karl Place over six on his previous visits to England. And though the 33-bout [eight wins and four draws, four stoppages] scrapper showed more fight in his first-ever title fight than he'd done against the said pair, the 28-year-old West Midlander had too many tools in his box.

You had the feeling that, if he'd have wanted to, Martin could have stepped up the tempo and dominated. But after putting the first six rounds in the bag with a well-timed jab and follow-up right, he  held his feet in range too much and shipped plenty of punches from Godor [9st 12lbs] in rounds seven, eight and nine.

Although Gethin took the final round and won his fifth strap at a third weight, he was far from happy with his work over the 30-minute distance."I was too sloppy and fell into his mauling ways throughout," he candidly conceded.

"I was guilty of plodding and i'm not pleased with the way i boxed. I'll improve for my next fight, though, and he was an awkward little fighter who kept coming low and messing up any rhythm i tried to find," added an honest father of one, now 20-3-1 (7), who sported a nasty black eye as he left the ring.

Boxing-minded Renda dominates on his return

Many who turned up to see Cello Renda's return would've expected him to greet the sound of the opening bell by tearing across the ring with both fists blazing.

Instead, what they got was 12 minutes of controlled boxing behind a piston-like jab that illustrated what Jon Pegg has known all along: that there's more to Renda [pictured against gym-mate Max Maxwell in Prizefighter four years ago] than one-punch knockout power. 

The Birmingham-trained Peterborough puncher returned from 26 months of frustrating inactivity to shut-out sawn-off Latvian slugger Ruslans Pojonisevs over four rounds on a Robert Waterman-promoted bill at The Arena last night [March 9] and thrown his name back into the domestic middleweight hat.

Renda's outside-the-ring troubles - a bitter fall out with ex-trainer and manager Ian Pauly - have been well-documented, leading to over two years of his career going to waste as he waited for the contract to run its course. But now happy and settled training at the Midlands Boxing Academy in the Second City, the 26-year-old can look forward to a bright future.

Slowly but surely the former Prizefighter finalist and British Masters champion has been moulded from an all-action puncher who would fire back desperately instead of holding when hurt, to a measured boxer who has the power to take men out but lets things come naturally off the fast, accurate lead left.

And though his showing against a durable 32-bout Eastern European who extended Patrick Mendy over the same distance on his previous visit to British shores may have come as a shock to those in attendance or watching live on YouTube, it wasn't for me.

Former pro bantamweight Pegg, now a well-respected matchmaker, manager, trainer and promoter, has been telling me for the past year that when Renda made his comeback he'd be using his rarely-seen boxing ability to get results. That's how the four rounds of interesting action played out.

The pattern for the contest was set within the opening 30 seconds: Renda [11st 11lbs] took centre ring and pumped out the jab, doubling and sometimes tripling it, and digging occasional right hands to the body. Pojonisevs [11st 7lbs] came barreling forward with gloves high and though he tossed over a few solid-looking rights, Cello's footwork meant he easily skipped out of harms way.

Ken Curtis marked it 40-36 to the returning local hero, who also brought in new-found head movement to finish unmarked and satisfied with his night's work. "I can't take three or four to land one punch like i have done in the past," conceded the Italian-rooted Englishman, whose ledger improves to 19-9-1 (11) and returns to the ring on June 8.

"All credit to Jon, who told me to box and show that i do have the skills to get the job done without having to go looking for a war. It's been my downfall in the past," he continued, "and i'm determined not to  make the same mistakes again."

Pegg hinted that they want a couple more wins before making a charge towards champions  Nick Blackwell [English] or former foe Martin Murray [the British and Commonwealth monarch who controversially outpointed Cello by split decision in their Prizefighter final] - and Renda added: "It's been a nightmare two years but i'm back and ready to make a statement."

Patterson batters ex-Big Brother star Bird

Andrew Patterson ended a winless 12 months by de-railing the hometown comeback of former Big  Brother star JJ Bird.

The hard-nosed Birmingham welterweight [pictured] shrugged off a 10lb weight disparity at The Arena in Peterborough to thump out a convincing 40-37 [presumably giving Bird a share of the third] victory from referee Jeff Hinds and halt a 12-fight losing streak.

And such was the one-sided nature of the four-threes that was promoted by Robert Waterman and broadcast live on YouTube last night [March 9], i marked it down as a complete shut-out.

Having seen Bird box in the Midlands before - close points defeat to Dale Miles and a draw with former Midlands Area boss Rob Kenney - i'd mentioned in the week leading up to scrap that the West Midlander might be too strong. So it proved.

From those previous viewings it was noticeable that JJ, who finished fourth in 2010's Big Brother, likes to be given room to do his work at a distance and use every inch of the ring to his advantage. But Patterson, 32, intelligently never gave him enough space to get his jab going - stalking him around for the entirety of the 12-minute scrap.

And Bird, now trained by former European super-bantamweight champion Spencer Oliver, ate booming right hands over the top from as early as the opening minute. Chin held out to dry and with only a pawing lead to try and keep the aggressive-minded Brummie off him, the heavier [11st 11 1/2lbs] Cambridgeshire middleweight looked rattled on the return to his corner.

But the second followed in the same vein, with Jon Pegg-trained Patterson [10st 13 1/2lbs] plowing forward and landing overhand rights with ease. He even made the 25-year-old's legs dip late on and though Bird tried to gain a foothold with a nice bit of back-foot boxing in the third and with whipping uppercuts in the last, 'Patt' continued to be the man doing the damage.

Bird, whose 6-6-2 professional ledger includes a victory over former British and European title challenger Dave Walker, had no complaints when his opponent's hand was raised at the bell and will have to look at his leaky defence if he wants to add more victories to his record.

Now with five wins and three draws [four stoppages] in 35, it was a well-deserved break for Patterson - a hard-working, never-say-die family man who loves a scrap and is penciled in to cross swords with five-fight unbeaten Portsmouth prospect Mark Coombs at the city's Mountbatten Centre next Saturday.

No expense spared ahead of Macklin's big night

Matthew Macklin has shelled out on the best sparring America has to offer ahead of his career-defining fight in eight days.

The Birmingham banger [pictured] meets WBC Diamond middleweight champion and pound-for-pound-rated Sergio Martinez at New York's Madison Square Garden a week tomorrow [Saturday, March 17] having tested himself in sparring with some of the USA's finest.

Though many are predicting a painful defeat for Irish-rooted Macklin on St Patrick's Day, the West Midlander is adamant that the right-leading 37-year-old California-based Argentinian is slowing down and beatable, in spite of his lofty rating [three] in the elite list of boxing's best in any weight division.

The former British and two-European champion, though, has prepared with sparring sessions with three southpaws: New Jersey's Denis Douglin, 14-1 (8), former world title challenger Sechew Powell, 26-4 (15), and 24-fight [14 stoppages] undefeated WBA world light-middleweight boss Austin Trout.

All three are at differing stages of their careers - Douglin on the way up, Powell's probably on the way down and Trout is consolidating his position as an 11st champion to be feared - and the southpaw puzzle that has beaten Macklin before, against Jamie Moore in 2006, and that Martinez had used to secure 48 wins in 52 [27 stoppages and two draws] and world titles at two weights has finally been solved.

Back with Buddy McGirt but without a British Boxing Board of Control licence, Macklin turns 30 in May and feels that his second world title opportunity, after a controversial split decision defeat against Felix Sturm for the WBA belt in Germany last year, has arrived at the perfect time in his career.

"This is my time and I've left no stone unturned when it's come to getting the best sparring around," said the ardent Birmingham City supporter from Solihull. "Getting that type of sparring doesn't come cheap but I've always looked at it as an investment and the men who have helped me prepare are world-class performers.

"I started off my camp with Denis Douglin, who is a sharp-boxing prospect from New Jersey, and then brought in world-rated Sechew Powell, who was Floyd Mayweather's chief sparring partner for the Victor Ortiz fight and has still got plenty about him despite back-to-back world title defeats in the last couple of years, to help me out mid-way through.

"I finished off with world champion Austin Trout, who has helped Martinez out with some of his pre-fight sparring before," he continued, "and gave me some of the best of the entire camp. 

"That's exactly the type of preparation i needed before this and it just re-iterates my belief that i'll win next weekend," rounded-off a always-entertaining Brummie, 28-3 (19), who has a penchant for getting involved in nose-to-nose battles.

Image courtesy of Ed Diller/ DiBella Entertainment.

New year and new start for ambitious Parker

Duane Parker is looking to put the memories of his last fight firmly behind him. 

The skillful Woodville crowd-pleaser [pictured] suffered his first defeat as a professional fighter nine months ago and hasn't laced-on the gloves in competitive action since.

But he returns over six rounds at Burton's Meadowside Leisure Centre on March 30, on the undercard of Jonjo Finnegan's ten-round grudge clash with Ryan Clark for the International Masters super-middleweight belt, with renewed enthusiasm and with hopes of throwing himself into the mix for a title during 2012.

Paul Rowson promotes the good-looking seven-fight bill from a noisy Staffordshire venue that Parker hasn't boxed at for 17 months. He's had his last three [and five of his last six] in Birmingham and the Second City has left him with a bad taste in his mouth after his shock stoppage loss last year.

Entering with a blemish-free 13-fight record that had seen him drop only a handful of the 74 rounds he'd boxed, Parker was expected to dismiss Richard Troupe and move onto a Masters title fight in the autumn. But he was unexpectedly dropped twice and halted by the unheralded Hull scrapper in the fourth of a set eight that curtailed his immediate championship ambitions.

That weight-weakened showing convinced the tall, long-armed Derbyshire-based boxer to ply his trade six pounds north of 11st at middleweight - and he sees a bright future in a division that's ruled by Martin Concepcion in the Midlands and Martin Murray [the British and Commonwealth boss] domestically.

But before he can contemplate fights over ten or 12 rounds, Duane admits he needs to get the feel of the ring again. "I haven't boxed since June, so it's important that i shred some rust and get some of the timing back that only comes in an actual contest," said the 24-year-old former Burton ABC unpaid performer, who's a proud father to a pair of girls.

"I think that i'll be better and stronger at middleweight and that's were i see my future," he continued. "There are plenty of good fights around at the weight, both on the Midlands scene and at British level, and i'm going to put myself in the mix when i step back inside the ropes in just over three weeks.

"It's great to be boxing at a home venue again and it's going to be an explosive return from me," Parker added.

Mexican legend in Birmingham this weekend

One of the greats of the squared ring is coming to a Birmingham gym this weekend.

Marco Antonio Barrera, probably best-remembered on British shores for ending the 35-fight unbeaten run of Prince Naseem Hamed in 2001, will be visiting Jon Pegg and Michael Walsh's Midland Boxing Academy gym on Saturday [March 10] for a meet and greet in a setting he knows best.

Pegg and Walsh have secured the arrival of the former three-weight world champion [pictured], who still holds hope of meeting current WBC light-welterweight boss Erik Morales for a fourth time [two wins to Barrera, 67-7 (44)], and will be at the gym between 1pm and 3pm.

Barrera has won WBO, WBC and IBF belts at super-bantamweight, featherweight and super-featherweight - and boxed in Britain twice during a 23-year professional career that hasn't officially ended.

The 38-year-old 'Baby-Faced Assassin' thumped Paul Lloyd to a one-round retirement defeat [on a cut but the Liverpudlian had been dropped] for the WBO super-bantamweight title at the Royal Albert Hall in 2001 and, eight years later in Manchester, lost a controversial five-round technical decision to then-rising star Amir Khan.

An opening-round clash of heads left the Mexican legend masked in his own blood and post-fight consensus favoured the fight being halted during the first three minutes. But it was allowed to continue until the fifth - when, as some point out, Khan could be declared the winner and not have a No Contest stain on his ledger.

But by the time Barrera met Khan he was past his best and in a weight division nine pounds above his comfort zone. In his prime, though, he'll be remembered for his never-say-die attitude and contests with the likes of Naseem Hamed, Erik Morales, Manny Pacquaio, Juan Manuel Marquez, Johnny Tapia, Paulie Ayala, Junior Jones, Frankie Toledo, Rocky Juarez and Kennedy McKinney. 

In short, Barrera, who also smashed another Liverpool-based boxer, Richie Wenton, to a four-round defeat for the WBO strap in 1998, never ducked a fight at elite level from the moment he won his first world title in 1995.

"It's great that we've got a legend of the sport coming to our gym on Saturday afternoon," said former pro bantamweight, manager, trainer and matchmaker Pegg, whose leading charge, Brummie light-middleweight Max Maxwell, boxes for the British title in just over three weeks time.

"People want to have their photo taken with their heroes and we're giving people that chance for a reasonable price."

A limited amount of tickets, which cost only £10, are still available and can be bought by ringing 0121 6222120, by e-mailing jo.mba@btconnect.com or, if you're on Facebook, by sending a message to Jon Pegg or Michael Walsh.