Woodhouse given tough Lauri test in Second City

Curtis Woodhouse's boxing credentials will be further tested in a city where he plied his trade as a professional footballer.

The improving Driffield welterweight [pictured] will meet four-time European title challenger Giuseppe Lauri on a Dave Coldwell-promoted bill at Birmingham's New Bingley Hall on March 2 with the knowledge a British title fight could be on the horizon.

Although he'd never fought with gloves until his paid debut in 2006, the ex-Coldwell and now Glyn Rhodes-trained East Yorkshireman has been molded from a wide-eyed, raw-looking, light-hitting novice into a game, solid, well-schooled puncher to be respected.

And the former International Masters monarch recent in-ring performances mean that talk of his footballing career, which saw Birmingham City part with £1 million in 2001, should be permanently put to bed; it should now be Curtis Woodhouse the boxer and not Curtis Woodhouse the ex-footballer.

But he's had to survive a sizeable share of criticism to earn this well-deserved respect. Seen as little more than a novelty act who'd get humiliated by the first decent fighter he faced, resounding stoppage wins over respected trio Dean Hickman, Stefy Bull and, most recently [November 26], Gary McArthur perfectly illustrate the natural-born talent and tenacity that has taken him to 16 wins in 19 [11 early] contests.

Yet Lauri, 52-9 (31), could be the true acid test. He was still capable enough to contest the European 10st belt in September, losing via eighth-round retirement to Denis Shafikov in Finland, and there have been a few whispers that the well-traveled Italian might still know a little too much - even if he's coming off a two-round hammering by Levan Ghvamichava in October.

The 35-year-old former EU boss gave Irishman Paul McCloskey a solid argument for the same title last year - eventually knocked out in the eleventh - and some of his other notable defeats have arrived at the fists of a brace of ex-world champions from Britain, Ricky Hatton and Junior Witter.

But the way in which Curtis pushed undefeated 2007 World Amateur Champion Frankie Gavin to a 12-round split decision in July - in an outing he, by right, had no right to have been competitive in - shows this could be a perfect piece of matchmaking to increase his standing on both domestic and continental shores.

Incidentally, the 30-year-old has swapped leather in Birmingham before, on the undercard of Amir Khan's Commonwealth lightweight title defence against Michael Gomez at the National Indoor Arena in 2008 - and dismissed West Bromwich southpaw Wayne Downing in under 60 seconds with a brutal display of body-punching.

Woodhouse will be looking for a similar result next year.

Ahmed could secure title fight on Sunday

Usman Ahmed could set up a Midland Area title crack with victory on Sunday [December 4].

The willing Derby super-flyweight [pictured on the attack against Don Broadhurst in October's 8st 5lbs Prizefighter] goes to work over four at Whitwick's Hermitage Leisure Centre with renewed zest since linking up with Dominic Ingle.

Ahmed crosses swords with durable South Yorkshire-based Kuwaiti Anwar Alfadli on Clifton Mitchell's bill in Leicestershire this weekend and win seven [five defeats and one draw in good company] could potentially earn the 30-year-old a 2012 super-flyweight title showdown with Northampton's Nathan Reeve.

Though the former British and Commonwealth title challenger is without a win in his last three starts, albeit to former Commonwealth boss Broadhurst, improving Irishman Luke Wilton [who Uzzy had previously outpointed] and big-hitting English monarch Ashley Sexton, he's a neat little boxer who ended the unbeaten run of touted former ABA champion Kyle King.

But he believes that shifting his training allegiances from the hometown distractions of Derby to the Steel City [46 miles away] could kick-start his boxing resurrection. "The move to do my training with the Ingles has really paid off," admitted an East Midlander whose fearlessness was demonstrated when he took on Chris Edwards, two fights before he won the British title, on his paid bow.

"Training has been going well and i feel better than ever. 

"But whoever i fight, be it on Sunday or in the future, is irrelevent to me, really. I'll box whoever is put in front of me and my ability will help me to do the job," he added.

Image courtesy of Matchroom Sport.

Bendall aims to dish out Season's Beatings to Dane

Steve Bendall is looking to de-rail the world title aspirations of a Scandinavian power-puncher later this month.

The cultured Coventry southpaw [pictured landing his right-leading jab against Darren Barker in 2008] travels to Denmark on December 17 to meet big-hitting Rudy Markussen and is targeting an upset over the come-backing former European champion.

Markussen has won all three of his contests since a four-year break in 2006 by stoppage - and his last two have arrived in the opening round. The ex-IBF world title challenger is also penciled in to box for the WBA Interim world 12st belt next year, against Belfast's Brian Magee, and sees the 38-year-old former two-time English middleweight champion as an ideal warm-up for the contest.

But Bendall, a former British, Commonwealth and European title challenger who was the first man to hand defeat to future British champion Paul Smith and who extended touted and 24-fight unbeaten German Dominik Britsch over eight in Germany in the summer, won't be the type who'll lie down when caught with the first big shot.

Though he's been stopped in four of his six paid defeats [29 wins, 14 early], the Poole-based stylist was on his feet at the time of the interventions and bravely firing back, protesting the referees decisions against Scott Dann, Wayne Elcock and former world champion Sebastian Sylvester.

But the 34-year-old local hero, looking to emulate countryman Mikkel Kessler as a world super-middleweight king, claims he's the hardest-hitting 12st fighter on the planet and that Bendall will be the 24th man [36 wins, two defeats] to go home with a stoppage loss on his record.

"Bendall is the last obstacle between me and a title fight," said the fired-up Dane, who has a reputation, as demonstrated in a seventh-round surrender against Sergey Tatevosyan five years ago, for mental fragility when under fire," so i will try and get him out of the way as soon as possible.

"I will not under-estimate him but i don't think he can keep up with my power. I will knock him out," he coldly added.

Concepcion forced out of English title tilt

Martin Concepcion has been forced to pull out of his challenge for the English middleweight title.

The Leicester puncher [pictured landing a left against Steve O'Meara in Prizefighter last year] was set to face champion Nick Blackwell on a First Team-promoted bill at Trowbridge Civic Hall, Wiltshire, on December 17.

But a knee injury has ended the immediate English title ambitions of always-entertaining Concepcion, 30, who punched his way back into contention with a nine-round drubbing of streaking fellow East Midlander Matt Hainy in Leicester three months ago.

In his maiden fight at middleweight, the chin-or-be-chinned former British and Commonwealth 11st title challenger, 18-9 (11), sent Hainy crashing to the four times, sliced him above both eyes and relieved him of his Midland Area title after a brutal affair that referee Rob Chalmers ranks up there with the best fight he's ever seen.

That was Concepcion's first win in 15 months, following stoppage reversals to Sam Webb [in 11] and, in February, what many thought was a career-ending defeat to impressive Eastern European Sergey Rabchenko [in two], after a career spent operating exclusively at light-middleweight. 

He'd captured the Area title at the weight and also ended the undefeated run of future Commonwealth boss Matthew Hall, as well as engaging Kevin Hammond in a brace of ten-round wars. But the move to 11st 6lbs, on the evidence of his last performance, seemed to bring a new vitality to the big-hitting Leicester boxer, who'll have to now wait and see if he'll get penciled in for another crack at the English crown next year.

Image courtesy of Matchroom Sports.

Dube after another Sheffield scalp

Elvis Dube has the opportunity to inflict more misery on a Sheffield boxer this weekend.

The iron-fisted Derby light-heavyweight [pictured] has been given a last-minute call to arms and boxes Wayne Reed, 7-3 (3), at Hillsborough [home to Sheffield Wednesday FC] on Friday night [December 2].

Reed was set to fight for the vacant Central Area 12st title on Glyn Rhodes' show but his opponent, Huddersfield's Jason McCalmon, pulled out through injury and Dube has been drafted in for a six-rounder in a city where he's gone unbeaten in his last two.

The 33-year-old, with four wins [three early] and a draw in 15, earned a 12-minute draw he is adamant he won against another Rhodes charge, Carl Wild, earlier this month having sensationally knocked out the normally-durable binman in just 123 seconds in July.

Though Wild won their first bout on points, Dube is unbeaten since and dangerous with rights that had British Masters champion Jonjo Finnegan on the deck and defeated  - and Reed, a hard-punching 24-year-old who stopped Leicester's Jahmaine Smyle last year, can be hurt and stopped.

The southpaw appeared to have the beating of former WBC world super-middleweight champion Robin Reid until he was caught with eight seconds left of the fourth in June - and had been halted in the same session by Peter Federenko two years ago. But he's solid, can punch and been matched tough from the off.

But none of the this will matter to Jason Shinfield-trained Elvis, who'll be looking to check another Sheffield boxer into the increasingly-packed Heartbreak Hotel.

Troy warms up for title fight at the weekend

Troy James prepares for his maiden title crack with a difficult six-rounder in his home city on Saturday [December 3].

The Coventry super-featherweight, 10-1-1 (3), will cross swords with Nottingham puncher Barrington Brown for the vacant Midland Area belt on March 16 but first has to get past Dougie Curran at the Hilton Hotel this weekend.

Curran is tough, durable and no stranger to the Midlands, having extended then-unbeaten Lee Glover over ten for the vacant International Masters strap in June [Walsall]. The 15-bout [five wins and a draw] Geordie was stopped in three by impressive Black Countryman Chris Male in the same month but does hold points nods over former British champion Jamie McKeever and Davey Savage Jr, then undefeated in 11.

But ex-Barry McGuigan-handled James [pictured in his unsuccessful Prizefighter semi with Rhys Roberts last month] should have too much strength and all-round ability for Curran, 23, and victory will secure the ten-round rematch with Brown - who the 28-year-old outpointed in his quarter-final three-rounder at York Hall - set for Bedworth Civic Hall in the spring.

Two other boxers from the city of Lady Godiva, super-bantamweight Dougie Walton, 7-1-1 (1), and light-heavyweight first-timer Sean Sinnett, also see action on the Les Allen-promoted dinner show.

Image courtesy of Gavin Burrows.

Valentine given green light to box again

Curtis Valentine has been given the go-ahead to resume his career.

The hammer-fisted Nottingham middleweight [pictured with manager Jimmy Gill, left, and trainer Tony Harris] hasn't boxed for 16 months after a routine brain scan showed a problem that looked certain to be a career-ending one.

But several trips to the best neurological specialists in the country and a re-scan from the British Boxing Board of Control has seen the 30-year-old being given the all-clear and he can now look to add to his three paid wins [two stoppages] in five.

Curtis traveled to Yorkshire on his debut and sensationally flattened unbeaten Luke Robinson on his debut, leaving the Castleford-based boxer, undefeated since, unconscious and needing oxygen after the two-round drubbing. He outpointed durable Ryan Clark next but was then on the receiving end of a brace of four-round decisions he looked to have done enough to win, against former ABA champion Erick Ochieng and Huddersfield's Alastair 'Burt' Warren.

And the last time he swapped 10oz leather for pay, against solid ex-England international amateur Martin Marshall in July last year, the relentless former Midlands Novice Class B champion's in-your-face pressure forced the referee to halt the one-sided beating less than eight minutes after it had begun.

The ensuing months have been dark for the East Midlander but he's now looking forward to emerging from the light - and switching the lights of his future opponents off. "It's been a nightmare, to be honest," admitted Tyson-esque Valentine, who has the rare combination of having iron in his chin and carrying dynamite in his fists.

"The time away has been hard, especially when you resign yourself to not boxing again and not doing something you love. Thankfully, it's been resolved now and i seriously can't wait to get back in there and knock someone out again," he added.

Brown and James to meet again for Midland belt

Barrington Brown and Troy James will renew hostilities next year - this time for the vacant Midland Area super-featherweight title.

The Midlands pair met in the quarters of last month's featherweight Prizefighter, with Coventry's James earning a unanimous decision after three keenly-contested rounds of boxing at York Hall.

Yet Tony Harris-trained Brown [pictured, right, in their October argument] shook his opponent badly in the opening round with a whipping right uppercut and though that was the only stanza he won on two of three judges scorecards, with the other only giving him a share of that session, the 29-year-old Nottingham puncher is touted to be a different animal over the ten-round distance.

The intriguing-looking East vs West Midlands title 9st 4lbs clash will top a Les Allen-promoted show at Bedworth Civic Hall on March 16 and 28-year-old Troy, 10-1-1 (3), who bowed out of that eight-man tournament in the semis to slick-boxing Mancunian Rhys Roberts, will enter the 30-minute battle as the betting favourite.

But James should be warned: the last title challenger from the Robin Hood city to turn up at the Civic Hall [Bullwell cruiserweight Shane McPhilbin] upset the odds, ended up chinning the Coventry favourite [Rhys Davies] and raced back up the M1 with the previously-ownerless Midland belt strapped firmly around his waist.

And big-hitting Brown, with five wins [two quickly] and three draws in 14, will be looking to land the devastating punches that'll make lightning strike twice at the Warwickshire venue.

Image courtesy of Gavin Burrows.

Monaghan targets title swansong

Michael Monaghan returns from a 28-month layoff claiming there are plenty of fights he can win. 

The awkward Nottingham light-heavy [pictured landing a body shot against same-city rival Tyrone Wright] hasn't swapped competitive leather since being soundly outpointed over ten by Bradley Pryce in 2009.

But he boxes over 12 minutes against Sheffield binman Dean Walker on December 3 - on a Carl Greaves-promoted bill in Newark that's topped by an interesting British Masters middleweight title clash between local A.A. Lowe and Pocklington's Harry Matthews - looking to add to his 18 paid victories [two stoppages] in 44.

The 35-year-old former Midland Area light-heavyweight champion has had a testing career that's seen him thrown in with the likes of ex-British champion Wayne Elcock, former two-time European boss Matthew Macklin and current WBC world super-middleweight monarch Carl Froch, as well as a host of dangerous up-and-coming prospects from 11st to 13st.

Mick belted then-touted Scandinavian Ali Khattab to such a comprehensive defeat that he only boxed twice more, ended the unblemished nine-bout log of Michael Bilak in 2005 and was unlucky not to add the scalp of future world title challenger Gary Lockett to his resume in their closely-contested 30-minute battle eight years ago.

Although he lost the return in under eight minutes, it's his trio of bouts with his same-city rivals that solidified his already-iron reputation.

Froch blasted him out in three rounds in an all-Nottingham grudge match at the Capital FM Arena in 2003, but few others were able to repeat that trick. He won the Midland strap with a ten-round nod over another boxer from the Robin Hood city, powerful future International Masters king Rod Anderton, in March 2007 but then agonisingly lost it two months later to big-hitting Tyrone Wright, who halted him with just a second remaining of the contest.

Yet Monaghan feels that the two-year absence has refreshed his body and got the fires burning for one last run in the harshest sport of all. "I'll feel fresh after the break," admitted a veteran spoiler who's now based in Lincoln," and feel like there are wins to be had and maybe, if there's the opportunity on the table to do so, a title to be won.

"Then again, i suppose we'll see what i have to offer on December 3. In my eyes there is plenty in the tank but the onus is on me to show that i still have what it takes to cause a few upsets," the two-weight Irish title challenger added.

Image courtesy of Colin Messer.

Rampant Welborn tears Midland belt from McKervey

Jason Welborn had vowed to win the Midland Area title in spectacular fashion - and kept to his word with a clinical display of punching.

The 25-year-old ripped the welterweight title from champion Sean McKervey in three one-sided rounds, on a YouTube and Hatton Boxing-streamed three-bout show promoted by First Team last night [November 18], and has now put himself into the mix for the English belt next year.

Though the Coventry southpaw was coming off back-to-back reversals in 2011, including a stoppage loss last time out, Sean was still expected to give the Errol Johnson-trained prospect a career-hardest test. Indeed, he won the British Masters title with a three-round crushing of Wayne Downing and the Midland title with a points nod over Kevin McCauley last year [both Johnson-handled fighters].

But he had no answer to the aggression of heavily-tattooed Welborn [pictured above], who shook the 28-year-old champion with a fast-handed right in the opening three minutes. McKervey (10st 6lbs), who is never in a bad contest, entered the fight with a black eye and was stunned again with the right as the challenger continued to plow forward during the second.

Yet the 15-fight [eight wins and two draws, one stoppage] West Midlander put some nice punches together before he was sent hurtling to the canvas by a left in the third. Though McKervey managed to beat the count, Welborn repeated the trick - this time with a right - and referee Shaun Messer sensibly ended the slaughter at 1-26.

"I've boxed with a broken hand in my last three fights so just put the rounds in the bank and didn't look to get the job done early," admitted a bull-strong puncher who started his paid career at super-middleweight, has only lost to Nottingham's slippery Ingle-trained Tyan Booth, and who's improved immensely since a link-up with Errol in Wednesbury.

"But my hand is fine, i relaxed and didn't look to get the KO, and look what happened when i opened up on him. I think i sent a message to the welterweights of Britain with that display," roared the well-supported new champion (10st 7lbs) from Rowley Regis, whose paid record now improves to 8-1 (3).

Promoter PJ Rowson added: "He showed that he can listen and box to instruction when he's been told to. There are bigger fights to come for him."

In the four-twos show-opener in front of a good-sized crowd at Walsall Town Hall, Saquib 'Zak The Ripper' Amir (9st 6 1/4lbs) returned to the win column with a 40-36 verdict from Mr Messer [scoring on the outside for trialist referee Gareth Morris] over Nottinghamshire-based Latvian Pavels Senkovs (9st 7lbs).

Amir has had all three [now 2-1] of his paid bouts at the Town Hall but slipped to an unexpected defeat to winless Dan Naylor last month. But he's now being trained in Wednesbury by Errol Johnson, who took Young Mutley a British title, and though open-guarded at times he dug-in enough heavy-looking hooks to the body to run out a wide winner.

Athough i gave Matt Scriven-handled Senkovs, who slipped to loss 39 in 44, the second for a 39-37 tally after an always-watchable four, 28-year-old 'Zak The Ripper' was a worthy winner.

Gethin shows no ill-effects of back injury on return

Martin Gethin admits he wants a title fight next year - but isn't fussed who it's against. 

The two-time English lightweight champion from the Black Country [pictured after boxing in Las Vegas in 2007] returned from 19 months of injury hell to shut-out durable Pole Arek Malek over six at Walsall Town Hall last night [November 18] and has now targeted a title fight in 2012.

Well-muscled Malek (10st 2lb) has boxed on British shores on no fewer than 26 occasions in which time he's acquired a reputation as a durable character who is oft-beat but won't go without an argument and is capable when he lashes back with his right.

And though Gethin boxed neatly off his jab throughout an 18-minute First Team-promoted bout that was streamed live on YouTube by Hatton Boxing, the 57-fight [12 wins and two draws] Pole clipped him with a number of solid body shots and looping rights as the rust gradually shred from a man (10st 4lbs) who was boxing in his hometown for the first time in five years.

Showing no ill-effects from a back injury that had kept him out of competitive action for over a year-and-a-half and required career-saving surgery, the Errol Johnson-trained puncher moved his upper-body well, found the space to thump in body punches and thread rights through, and generally out-boxed the well-covered Eastern European, whose face was reddened by the accuracy of potency of Gethin's straight shots by the fourth.

The decent workout continued to heavily-favour the local in final six minutes, a heavy-looking head-body-head attack forcing his always-willing opponent to grab tightly late on, and it came as no surprise to see Shaun Messer [scoring on the outside for trialist official Gareth Morris] mark the ex-British Masters 10st boss a 60-54 victor.

And  now, after registering professional win 19 in 23 [three defeats and a draw, seven inside], Gethin has laid down the gauntlet to English champion Derry Mathews and British 9st 9lbs boss Anthony Crolla, who defends his crown against Willie Limond in Scotland next Friday. He said: "I'll keep ticking over in the gym and then see what comes up in the New Year.

"Whatever the title my team can get for me, be it the English or British, i'll be ready to beat them and take the belt home with me," added the 28-year-old former Midland Area champion, who ended the unbeaten runs of Yorkshire pair Nadeem Siddique [22] and John Fewkes [17] in 2008.

McKervey can't wait for hard Area title defence

Sean McKervey is looking to erase the demons of his previous two fights on Friday night [November 18].

The Coventry welterweight makes the maiden defence of his treasured Midland Area title, on a First Team-promoted dinner show at Walsall Town Hall, having suffered unexpected back-to-back setbacks

But the capable portsider [pictured above with the British Masters and Midland straps] has the chance to put a so-far-winless 2011 behind him against Tividale's aggressive and decent-punching Jason Welborn, 7-1 (2), in front of the Hatton Boxing cameras, who are streaming the three-bout card live on their YouTube channel.

McKervey had a stellar 2010, chalking-up three wins in four [one draw] and adding the Masters and Area belts to his trophy cabinet with resounded wins over Wayne Downing, who was dropped twice and swatted aside in three, and Kevin McCauley, the current British Masters boss at 11st who was outpointed for the Midland Area strap.

Yet he was shockingly decked and out-pointed by novice Walsall pro Joel Ryan in March over four and then, in a fight he was favoured to win the following month, went onto lose a crack for his old Masters title in three one-sided rounds to then-unbeaten and recently-retired Neil Beevers in Barnsley.

But Sean has only lost once at 10st 7lbs and favours his right-leading skills to end the charge of improving Welborn, who hasn't tasted defeat since Nottingham's Ingle-trained Tyan Booth flattened him in three in 2006. "It's a big fight and a great opportunity for me to show thousands of people on the internet what i can do," he said.

"I've had a bad couple of performances this year but i'm going to put that firmly to bed with a dominant defence of my belt on Friday. Welborn is a fit, game and willing kid but he's going to go home empty-handed because i have trained hard and will match and better everything he tries.

"Seriously, i can't wait for this," added the value-for-money 28-year-old, 8-4-2 (1), ahead of the tough-looking ten-rounder in the Black Country.

Prizefighter heading to the Black Country

Wolverhampton Civic Hall is to play host to the next round of Prizefighter on January 28 - and set to feature at least two popular Midlanders.

Matchroom Sports' always-interesting three-round, eight-man format, in which the winner receives £32,000, ventures outside the capital for only the fourth time and lands in the Midlands for the first time, after two in Liverpool and one in Newcastle.

And Midlands Boxing can exclusively reveal that added local interest comes to the catch-weight light-welter and welterweight tournament in the form of West Bromwich's former British welterweight champion Young Mutley [pictured with his Lonsdale Belt] and hard-as-nails Telford 36-year-old Mark Lloyd.

Neither man is a stranger to the Sky Sports-televised show, having both reached the semis in their previous tilt at the crown. Former Midland Area welterweight, International Masters light-middle and British Masters middleweight monarch Lloyd, 15-4 (3), outpointed former IBO 11st boss Steve Conway in the 2008 welterweight event at York Hall before bowing out to ex-European champion Ted Bami [also on points].

Mutley, 29-6 (14), unanimously outscored Welshman Barrie Jones, who'd been heavily-tipped to beat the iron-fisted Black Countryman pre-fight, before losing a controversial semi-final to current British 10st 7lbs boss Colin Lynes in the 2009 light-welterweight Prizefighter at London's Olympia. The 35-year-old had previously been knocked out by Lynes but looked unfortunate not to be given the nod in their nine-minute rematch.

But the West Midlands pair, both trained in Wednesbury by Errol Johnson and coming of defeats earlier this year [Mutley on points to Frankie Gavin; Lloyd on a technical decision to Luciano Abis in Italy], have the chance to go one-step further in their back garden in the New Year. 

Although none of the eight men have been named officially, Halifax's Liam Patrick Walsh is also touted to put his unbeaten professional ledger on the line in search of the hearty winner's cheque.

Gethin puts injury hell behind him and targets Crolla

Martin Gethin is targeting the British title after putting an injury-laden 19 months behind him.

The unassuming Walsall lightweight [pictured with the Masters belt] has won British Masters, Midland Area and English straps but a host of setbacks has restricted him to just three outings since 2009.

But Gethin boxes for the first time since April last year when he crosses swords with Arek Malek at Walsall Town Hall on Friday [November 18], on a First Team Promotions bill that's headlined by an interesting-looking Midland Area welterweight title clash between champion Sean McKervey, Coventry, and Black Country favourite Jason Welborn.

And 56-fight [12 wins, two draws] Malek is no stranger to these shores. The durable Pole has only been halted on five occasions and has boxed no fewer than 25 times in Britain, including points reversals against WBC number one-rated light-welterweight Ajose Olusegun and smooth-boxing Scot Wille Limond.

So the the Black Country-based father of one, who celebrates his 28th birthday two days before he boxes on a three-bout card that will be streamed online by HattonBoxing.com, can probably expect a rust-shredding distance test over 18 minutes.

But his focus is firmly on relieving British champion Anthony Crolla, the improving Mancunian who defends for the first time against aforementioned Limond on November 25, of his belt. Martin argues [quite rightly] that Crolla is not a true lightweight, having stepped up from super-featherweight at the last-minute to take the Lonsdale Belt a year ago, and is beatable.

Yet the quiet West Midlander is just grateful to be stepping between the ropes at all. "I've been out of action for a while because of my back and didn't think i was going to fight again at one point," admitted Gethin, a two-time holder of the English 9st 9lbs title who ended the unbeaten runs of Nadeem Siddique [22] and John Fewkes [17] with stoppages in 2008.

"The back problem was so bad that i couldn't really throw any punches without breaking down. Every time i moved in sparring it sent agonising spasms shooting up my spine. Thankfully, the the operation has sorted it now and i'm 100 per cent again.

"Though i'm not looking past this as an easy fight because Malek's hard, lets his fists fly when he thinks he's under too much and I've been out of the ring for a while, i want the British title in the next 12 months and don't think that's an unrealistic target.

"Crolla is fit and has a good work-rate but he's not a natural lightweight and i have a good chance of taking his title if i get the opportunity," added the solid-hitting Errol Johnson-trained boxer, 18-3-1 (7).

Flinn: I didn't show up and paid the price

James Flinn has vowed to rebound stronger from his English title disappointment.

The Coventry welterweight [pictured at Friday's weigh-in] suffered the first reversal of his 12-fight paid career on Saturday night [November 12], against hammer-fisted Adil Anwar, and admitted he fell apart in the ring.

'Platinum Kid' Anwar, 24, was a step ahead throughout, decked Flinn twice in the seventh and more clinical punching saw him having his hand raised a round later to snatch the vacant English crown and chalk-up win 13 in 14 [seven stoppages] at Manchester's Event City. 

The Leeds-based banger was a late replacement for then-long-standing champion Adnan Amar - the Nottingham switch-hitter who was forced to pull out of the all-Midlands title fight earlier in the week due to a chest infection - and added a second professional belt to his collection on a Hennessy Sports-promoted bill that was topped by a terrific Commonwealth heavyweight title struggle between Tyson Fury and Neven Pajkic.

But Flinn is adamant the defeat was more due to him under-performing than being outclassed. The two-time British Masters 10st 7lbs boss had hardly conceded a session in his 69 professionally-boxed rounds prior to Saturday and been preparing for a back-footed, fast-handed switch-hitter whose whipping uppercut had accounted for once-decent Canadian Ian MacKilop.

The smooth-boxing 29-year-old, who brought a sizeable following from Coventry, had an altogether different proposition in swashbuckling Anwar, though, and quickly found himself coming off second-best in a set 30-minute contest between two men who'd, between them, registered 22 wins in 25. 

A solid right behind the head brought about the ending in the eighth and the post-fight post-mortem was being conducted in the Errol Johnson-handled West Midlander's head as soon as he'd stepped out of the ropes. "I'm not too bothered about the fact that I've lost my unbeaten record, but it's the performance that's niggling me," admitted Flinn, now 10-1-1 (2) after the weekend's setback. 

"I felt brilliant in the dressing room prior to boxing but when i got in the ring i fell to pieces. As much as i tried, i couldn't find my range, my timing and nothing was flowing. It was one of those occasions when nothing went right on the night and i don't know why.

"But fair play to Anwar," added a gracious former top-rated amateur who looked unlucky not to outpoint Birmingham's two-time European middleweight monarch Matthew Macklin in the vest," who boxed well and deserved the win. I'll be back."

Image courtesy of Hennessy Sports.

Solid weekend for Derby duo

After Ovill McKenzie swooped the Commonwealth crown with a 15-second display of power in front of the TV cameras on Friday night, the pressure was on Derby duo Elvis Dube and Jack Perry to deliver in their fights over the weekend.

But despite being involved in tough-looking assignments with men who'd came to win, neither suffered defeat. In the Steel City, at Bramall Lane [home to Sheffield United] on the same evening as gym-mate McKenzie demolished Welshman Jeff Evans, Dube [pictured] battled to a solid six-round draw with Carl Wild.

And the following night [November 12], on a Hennessy Sports-promoted bill in Manchester that was topped by Tyson Fury's up-and-down three-round Commonwealth heavyweight title victory over Serbian Neven Pajkic, Perry kept his undefeated record intact and pounded-out a solid four-round points win over streaking William Warburton.

Elvis has twice swapped leather with South Yorkshireman Wild, with the Shinfield-trained puncher reversing a 12-minute June points defeat with a clinical one-round stoppage victory in July. Dube had uncorked an earth-trembling overhand right that put Carl's lights out five months ago but his opponent's high-held hands and work-smothering boxing in the rubber meant the Derby light-heavy couldn't find the room to detonate another fight-ending blow.

And though referee Michael Alexander saw the six-twos even at 57 apiece, the East Midlander believed otherwise. "I landed more than him, found holes in his tight defence to punch through and he finished with both eyes swollen," said the heavy-handed 33-year-old, now with four wins [three quickly] and a draw in 15. 

"I deserved the win."

But there was no doubting that Ingle-handled Perry was the better man at Manchester's Event City. Hard and willing, Warburton has upset the apple cart and registered back-to-back distance wins over Midland Area lightweight champion Amir Unsworth and ex-Midland Area light-welterweight boss and British title challenger Dean Harrison in the past month.

Yet the tall 24-year-old from Derby, now 15-0-1 (2) and who's been out of action since February with a serious hand injury that required surgery, rattled the Atherton-based welterweight in the opener and repeated the trick again in the latter stages to romp home with a 40-37 nod in what was probably his career-hardest-looking test.

"I didn't feel 100 per cent in there," admitted the former One Nation ABC Midlander afterwards," but i hurt him a few times and was a comfortable winner."

Perry has dropped only a handful of his 71 professionally-boxed sessions and could now find himself on the Atlantic City undercard of another East Midlander, Nottingham's Carl Froch, who boxes in Super Six final and WBC/WBA unification showdown with smooth-boxing American Andre Ward on December 17.

Image courtesy of Gavin Burrows.

McKenzie wins Commonwealth belt in 15 seconds

Ovill McKenzie needed just 15 seconds to bring the Commonwealth title to Derby.

The fast-starting East Midlands-based Jamaican [pictured] exploded out of the blocks, drove novice pro Jeff Evans back onto the ropes, and detonated a right that left the Welshman sprawling over the bottom rope on the BoxNation-televised bill in Halifax [November 11].

Evans had been tipped by a few well-respected figures in the trade to spring a surprise on McKenzie, who was only seen as dangerous for three or four rounds. If the Welsh light-heavyweight boss could ride that expected 12-minute shellacking, it was believed he could take over and grind-out a points win over the veteran 2009 cruiserweight Prizefighter champion.

But though Gary Lockett-trained Evans entered with a respectable-looking 8-1-1 (1) paid ledger that saw his solitary reversal arrive on points, he didn't manage to survive 20 seconds with a fired-up fighter who cheerfully danced his way to the ring on the Wayne Carmichael and Frank Warren-promoted show at the North Bridge Leisure Centre.

McKenzie was coming off back-to-back defeats to Tony Bellew, but had dropped the Liverpudlian twice in their first up-and-down classic. Ovill was controversially stopped in the eighth and then comprehensively out-boxed over 12 in their British and Commonwealth rematch in July.

But the 31-year-old left nothing to chance in this vacant title outing, rattled his ambitious opponent with a right to the temple with his first real punch in anger and then finishing the job with a decisive blow that landed sweetly between the jaw and the temple. Referee Terry O'Connor immediately dispensed with the count and beckoned-in the awaiting medics at ringside.

And now talk has turned to a title defence against Enzo Maccarinelli, the former WBO world cruiserweight king who makes his comeback at light-heavy after 14 months out of the ring. Jason Shinfield [trainer] hinted that he'd want that title clash to take place in Derby or Nottingham, at the Harvey Hadden Leisure Centre - if Enzo successfully negotiates his bill-topping ten-rounder with undefeated Hungarian Gyorgy Marosi at York Hall next Friday unscathed.

For McKenzie, though, he was just delighted to be finally re-acquainted with an old friend. "I've been waiting a long time to get my title back," beamed the iron-fisted now-two-time Commonwealth 12st 7lbs champion, 19-11 (8), who held this belt from September 2006 till February 2007.

"Respect to Evans for taking this fight and for coming to have a go and i hope that he's okay after what happened. But i told Jason in training that i wasn't going to waste any time and go any longer than i had to do. I didn't let him down," the 33-year-old happily added.

For the record, Phil Edwards, Howard Foster and Dave Parris were the three judges rendered irrelevant by McKenzie's explosive display of punching.

In a cracking little four-round cameo that took place in front of a handful of early-arriving fans, Shinfield-handled Lee Jevons, now winless in three, lost out 39-38 to unbeaten [now in two] local Richard Bitner. Derbyshire's Jevons dwarfed the West Yorkshireman by seven inches and looked good for a draw after winning the first and last rounds for me with long rights. But Bitner's better work in the middle rounds swung the verdict for official John Latham.

Image courtesy of Gavin Burrows.

Rubber match win could lead Dube to title chance

Dangerous Derby slugger Elvis Dube could secure a British Masters shot with victory in Sheffield tonight [November 11].

The sawn-off East Midlander [pictured landing his feared right] meets Yorkshire binman Carl Wild for the third time in as many outings, at Bramall Lane [home of Sheffield United], having already split a brace of four-rounders this year.

The Glyn Rhodes-trained 25-year-old used his advantages in height and reach to rack up the points that secured him a comfortable-looking 40-37 nod when they swapped leather at the city's Park Hotel in June. But then, in a rematch at Don Valley Stadium in July, a back-peddling Wild had his senses scrambled and lights turned off by a huge overhand right from Dube.

Wild, who'd go on to hold nine-fight unbeaten Justyn Hugh to a 12-minute draw in September, couldn't beat the count and lasted just 143 seconds. 

And barring both men having their hands raised tonight, the light-heavyweight dispute should finally be settled over eight - with the winner potentially looking forward to a crack at the British Masters light-heavyweight belt in the New Year. 

Though neither man has statistically great-reading records having boxed in top-class company, Jason Shinfield-trained Dube, 33, has secured three of his four victories [14 outings] by stoppage and is a sturdy, in-your-face type who stopped Jonjo Finnegan in February and outpointed touted Welshman Justin Jones in May.

And if well-built Elvis can bully his way close once more, slip inside the long, pawing lead of Wild, 10-16-4 (1), and land his much-vaunted right then don't bet against the local man being checked into the Heartbreak Hotel for a second time.

Image courtesy of Gavin Burrows.

Booth: Why would i retire when I have plenty left?

Jason Booth has dismissed talk of retirement and is targeting a Lonsdale Belt at a third weight.

The slick-boxing Nottingham stylist lost his British super-bantamweight belt to undefeated Scott Quigg last month and many in the trade felt the end had finally arrived after an up-and-down 15-year paid career in which he's never ducked a challenge.

And that seemed to be re-enforced by his manager, Jimmy Gill, and promoter, Frank Maloney, who both wanted the former IBF world title challenger to hang his gloves up after a farewell fight in his home city next year.

But Booth, a measured, nimble-footed old-school boxer who lacked the pop to make a real dent in his 8st 10lbs opponents, has ignored the concerns of his team and has set his sights on a British title eliminator with stiff-hitting Stuey Hall, 11-1-1 (7), in the New Year.

That's a fight that could be elevated to full title status if, as expected, the current champion, Doncaster's tall and improving Jamie McDonnell [who also holds the Commonwealth and Continental 8st 6lbs crowns], relinquishes the British belt in the coming months to pursue a WBC world title challenge.

And though the Strelley-based East Midlander has suffered back-to-back defeats in 2011, first in a European title challenge to hammer-fisted Spaniard Kiko Martinez in April and then to Hatton-promoted Quigg in October, he believes it was size rather than talent that cost him. Martinez was the first man to halt Jason [in ten in Spain] and then Bury-based Scott forced his retirement after seven but Booth is adamant it's merely a blip.

The Tony Harris-trained veteran, whose outside-the-ring troubles are as well-documented as his in-ring triumphs, unsuccessfully challenged for Ian Napa's domestic crown at bantamweight in 2007 but has won British titles at fly and super-bantamweight, Commonwealth belts at three weights and also worn an IBO super-flyweight strap.

And he sees Hall as a perfect fight for his boxing resurrection. "Talk of me retiring after my last fight is wrong," said the always-enigmatic and animated 34-year-old from the Robin Hood city.

"I took a bit of a beating towards the end [against Quigg], which is why people thought i wouldn't box again. But i was too small to hurt him and, in truth, i realised that i wouldn't be able to when i saw him at the weigh-in; he looked three divisions bigger.

"Quigg, all-round, is better but Martinez hits harder and though i had good fights at super-bantam, those last two contests finally made me realise that it's not my weight. To tell the truth, it never was but i kept winning and a world title fight came my way and i wasn't going to turn that down.

"But i think bantamweight will suit me. I've sparred Stuey Hall loads and think that would be a good British title eliminator," continued the tight-guarded 34-year-old, 36-8 (15).

"If i lost that then it would probably be the end for me as a boxer," he candidly conceded. "But if i won, it could open a lot of doors for me again. I feel as though i have plenty left."