Champions to turn out in Brum for brave Milwall

By Tom Podmore

Some of the country's finest fighters have put their collective fistic weight behind a fundraiser to help one of the most popular men in British boxing.

Much-touted heavyweight hope Tyson Fury, the fighting Smiths of Liverpool [Paul, Stephen, Liam and Callum] and recent world title challenger Kevin Mitchell will, amongst others, join Brummie favourites Frankie Gavin [the newly-crowned British welterweight champion], Max Maxwell and Prizefighter finalist Terry Carruthers at Jon Pegg's Midlands Boxing Academy, on Bromsgrove Street in Birmingham city centre, on December 4 to raise funds for cancer sufferer Andrew Milwall.

Banbury-based Milwall, who runs the hugely-popular Boxing Predictions League, was diagnosed with an incurable and inoperable form of small cell lung cancer earlier in the year and given the earth-shattering prognosis that he only had a handful of weeks left to live.

Unfazed by the crushing news that would have stopped a lesser man in his tracks, he started an intensive course of chemotherapy in May and, more recently, a bout of radiotherapy in the hope of defying the experts' opinions and extending his life.

Though his long-term future is currently unclear - and he is meeting with doctors later this month to asses the next move - former five-time world champion Jane Couch set about arranging a free-to-attend fundraiser to honour the hard-working boxing fanatic, who has been known to spend up to 20 hours per day helping fighters sell tickets and gain the publicity they fail to receive in their local areas.

So far, a host of ex-world champions [including Birmingham-born, Telford-based former WBC super-middleweight boss Richie Woodhall], current British and Commonwealth champions, former European champions and the Second City scrapper who engaged in 300 professional contests, Peter Buckley, have all confirmed they'll be attendance.

In all, there's likely to be over 100 current and former professional boxers in attendance, along with darts personality Chris Mason and recent London 2012 Paralympic bronze medallist Zoe Robinson.

"This is the least we could do for someone like Andrew," said 'Fleetwood Assassin' Couch, the fearless Bristolian who boxed in Birmingham [at The ICC] in 2006 and who was awarded an MBE by the Queen for her ground-breaking and trail-blazing services to female boxing in Britain.

"Even after he'd been diagnosed with cancer and even after he'd come home from draining sessions of chemo, Andrew still found the time to go online and help up-and-coming boxers with home-made posters - which meant they could sell more tickets.

"The work he's done for them has not gone unnoticed and unappreciated by anyone.

"So it's come as little surprise that the support from the boxing community has been absolutely phenomenal," she continued.

"It just shows how highly-regarded he is for boxers to come from all over to put their weight behind this fundraiser and we all hope that he'll come out with his arm raised after his toughest fight."

Always-exciting Walton forced to retire

Coventry super-bantam Dougie Walton has been forced to call time on his six-year paid career.

The 30-year-old had his licence taken away from him two weeks ago when the British Boxing Board of Control re-discovered a heart murmur that has plagued him from the start.

"I've always had it [the heart defect]," admitted the former Pat Cowdell-trained banger [pictured]. 

"But it was becoming a rig-moral to sort it out and life got in the way."

Walton will be missed on the Midlands scene, where he was a firm favourite on Cowdell's Monday night shows in Birmingham. 

A former ABA semi-finalist and NABC finalist for Willenhall ABC, the crowd-pleasing puncher was unlucky to emerge with only a draw on his debut with bigger Dezzi Higginson in March 2006.

Higginson went onto stop feared light-welterweight Gary Reid and challenge for English lightweight honours and Dougie, only a super-bantamweight-cum-featherweight, went on a six-fight winning streak.

Shrewsbury's former top-rated amateur Neil Marston was edged out over six at the Second City's Holiday Inn, and that was followed up two months later with a five-round bull-dozing of Neil Read, who was forced to eat plenty of clubbing rights from the all-action Coventry City supporter.

Durable pair Delroy Spencer and Shaun Walton were accounted for twice each in 2007, with Dougie failing to lose a round in 22 completed sessions. Namesake Shaun, a bigger ex-top ten-rated unpaid stylist, was even dropped in the opener of their first meeting.

But he was absent from the ring for 13 months and suffered his only paid defeat - a sixth-round stoppage to Stuey Hall, who'd go onto win the British bantamweight title less than 18 months later  - on his return.

Walton had made a bright start but a combination of ring rust and Hall's bloody-minded refusal to buckle saw the heavy-handed Darlington scrapper come through with 107 seconds left of the six-threes.

Another absence followed - this time, however, it was for a month shy of three years - but he pounded-out a brace of points wins over centurion Delroy Spencer in September and December of last year [2011].

He was targeting a charge towards his first title when the Board questioned his medical and  University of Worcester student Walton, who finished with a non-too-shabby 8-1-1 (1) paid tab, added: "I had a good run and didn't want to end up another average Joe who's getting knocked around.

"I'm far too proud for that."

Reeve on the hunt for British belt

Nathan Reeve aims to take a big step towards his target of the British title when he boxes for a belt on Northampton’s next big fight night. 

Promoter PJ Rowson has announced the 22-year-old from Kingsley will step into championship class in front of his hometown fans at the Park Inn Hotel on Saturday, September 8. 

Reeve, 6-1 (3), looks set to box for either the Midlands Area or British Masters flyweight title and Rowson will finalise details of the 10-round fight in the coming weeks. 

He has confirmed Blackthorn crowd-pleaser Ashley Lane will also box on the show and spelled out his plans for Reeve after steering the former Far Cotton amateur to six wins in seven professional fights. 

“This is a make-or-break fight for Nathan,” said Black Country-based promoter Rowson. 

“We need to get him ranked at flyweight and if he wins this title in Northampton we can look to step him up again. 

“I hope he will be boxing for the British flyweight title next year.” 

Potteries punching machine Chris Edwards currently holds the belt and is set to meet Commonwealth champion Kevin Satchell in a double-title dust up in Liverpool on Saturday, October 13. 

Rowson reckons Reeve, sponsored by Wellingborough-based Weee Environmental, will soon be ready to box Britain’s top eight-stone fighters after watching last month’s whirlwind win in Wolverhampton. 

The former England amateur international wiped out Fikret Remziev inside three rounds – and the spectacular one-punch finish was shown on Sky Sports’ popular Ringside programme. 

Reeve has now chalked up back-to-backs wins following his controversial loss to Mike Robinson in the quarter finals of Prizefighter last October. 

Tickets will be available in the next few weeks and further information is available from 07976-283157.

Image courtesy of Matchroom Boxing.

Carruthers confident of Eubank upset

With Chris Eubank Jnr still searching for an opponent in the week leading up to his appearance on Mick Hennessy's show at the Hand Arena, Clevedon, Somerset, there were a stream of domestic middleweights sitting at the phone hoping for a call.

But it was Jon Pegg-trained British Masters champion Terry Carruthers who's been given the nod and a chance to upset the apple-cart on Saturday night [July 7] in the West Country.

"Shocked," replied Carruthers, 26, when asked how he felt when the phone rang on Monday evening.

"I'm shocked they've picked me. It's not going to be a walkover for him," he continued. "I think they've had a quick look at my record [eleven wins and six draws in 28] and are judging me on that."

This opportunity has come at a good time for the Brummie, who is riding high after back-to-back wins over Halesowen's Kevin McCauley [a ten-round points nod for the belt he's holding above] and, last time out, an upset slaying of Nottingham's highly-rated Adnan Amar over six.

He was in training for a defence of his Masters strap against ex-English light-middleweight title challenger Nick Quigley but that was cancelled and he's going to take that fitness into the Channel 5-televised six-threes this weekend.

"I've seen all of his fights and he's alright," admitted Terry of the four-bout unbeaten [two quickly] eldest son of enigmatic former two-weight world champion Chris. "But he's had everything his own way, which he won't against me."

Carruthers taps the side of his head, winking, before adding: "I know what i have to do on Saturday. I'm very confident."

Walsh tops re-jigged Wolverhampton bill

Liam Walsh will now top the bill on the next Black Country fight night – and a clash of unbeaten cruiserweights has also been added to the show. 

Walsh, 12-0 (9), will defend his Commonwealth super-featherweight championship in front of the BoxNation cameras at Wolverhampton Civic Hall on Friday, June 22 after Enzo Maccarinelli pulled out of his rematch against Shane McPhilbin.

Walsh, one of three boxing brothers from Cromer, launched BoxNation by winning one of the best fights of 2011.

His title defence against former British featherweight champion Paul Appleby was a wildly exciting, back-and-forth battle of wills.

Walsh picked himself off the floor to force a 10-round retirement win and the super-slick power puncher heads to Wolverhampton to make the third defence of his title.

His challenger will be announced in the next few days.

Joint promoters PJ Rowson and Frank Warren are also delighted to announce that unbeaten cruiserweights Chris Keane and Stephen Simmons will meet over 10 rounds.

Keane, 6-0 (2), is from Walsall and will have home advantage against the granite tough Scot in what could be a classic.

Both were top-class amateurs. Keane won the ABA heavyweight championship in 2010, while Simmons won bronze at the 2010 Commonwealth Games and boxed regularly for Scotland.

As professionals, Keane extended his winning record to six fights with a 40-second blow-out in his last fight and Billy Nelson-trained Simmons has won all four [two inside].

Black Country favourite Jason Welborn, 9-1 (4), defends his Midlands Area welterweight title against Derby's Scott Haywood, 22-6-1 (4), on the same bill and Midlands Area light-middleweight champion Jamie Ball, 13-0-2 (4), is also in title action in another battle of unbeatens.

He has been paired with Michal Pechacek for the vacant International Masters championship.

Pechacek is the Czech super-middleweight title and has won all 10 of his professional fights.

Northampton super-flyweight Nathan Reeve, impressive in last year’s Prizefighter, is also set to be matched, along with unbeaten prospects Ryan Hookway, 4-0, Steven Pearce, 3-0 (1), and Dave Egan, 1-0.

Tipton light-heavyweight Ricky Summers, pipped by a point in the semi finals of the 2011 ABA championship, makes his professional debut, along with Andrew Robinson.

Box office 0870 320 7000; further information is available from PJ Rowson on 07976-283157.

Site closure

Due to time constraints, there will be no more articles posted on this site.

As you can see, aside from the ratings at the start of the month, there have no pieces posted since March. 

I'd just like to thank everyone who read this site for their support over the three years i've had this running - and for those who've read my work over the past nine years on a variety of different sites, newspapers,etc [where has the time gone,eh?].

All the best

Tom Podmore.

Midlands Ratings: Heavyweight-Middleweight [April 2012]

Midlands ratings, heavyweight to middleweight, compiled by Tom Podmore. [N.B. Any fighter inactive for 12 months - or with no bout scheduled in the near future - is dropped from the list.]

Heavyweight 

1. Paul Butlin [Melton Mowbray] 
2. Andrew Ingram [Long Eaton] 
3. John Loveday [Birmingham] 
4. Tommy Ward [Leicester] 
5. Gaz Johnson [Lincoln] 
6. Mike O’Hagan [Coventry] 
7. Michael Skierniewski [Stoke] 
8. Scott Welton [Birmingham] 
9. Drew Mitchell [Loughborough] 

Cruiserweight

1. Shane McPhilbin [Nottingham] 
2. Rob Norton [Stourbridge] 
3. Chris Keane [Walsall] 
4. Hastings Rasani [Birmingham] 
5. Rhys Davies [Coventry] 
6. Courtney Owen [Nottingham] 
7. Simeon Cover [Worksop] 

Light-Heavyweight

1. Ovill McKenzie [Derby]  Commonwealth Champion
2. Callum Johnson  [Lincoln] 
3. Elvis Dube  [Derby] 
4. Arfan Iqbal  [Derby] 
5. Liam Daly  [Northampton] 
6. Adam Corbett  [Tipton] 
7. Jody Meikle  [Scunthorpe] 
8. Paddy Connors  [Chesterfield] 
9. Bobby Wood  [Walsall] 
10. Sean Sinnett  [Coventry] 
11. Adam Stretton  [Swadlincote] 

Super-Middleweight

1. Carl Froch  [Nottingham] 
2. Paul David  [Northampton]  English Champion
3. Steve Bendall  [Coventry] 
4. Jahamaine Smyle  [Leicester] 
5. Llewy Davies  [Coventry] 
6. Jonjo Finnegan  [Burton]  British Masters Champion
7. Dave Davis  [Ilkeston] 
8. Grant Cunningham  [Stafford] 
9. Gordon Watson  [Belper] 
10. Ricky Gammon  [Nottingham] 
11. Ryan Clark  [Navenby] 
12. Manny Moussinga  [Birmingham] 

Middleweight

1. Matthew Macklin  [Birmingham] 
2. Cello Renda  [P’Boro/Birmingham] 
3. Martin Concepcion  [Leicester]  Midlands Area Champion
4. Matt Hainy  [Derby]  International Masters Champion
5. Terry Carruthers  [Birmingham]  British Masters Champion
6. Tony Randell  [Birmingham] 
7. A.A. Lowe  [Newark] 
8. Ryan Aston  [Dudley] 
9. Kieron Gray  [Telford] 
10. Lewis Taylor  [Dronfield] 
11. Simone Lucas  [Nottingham] 
12. Craig Cunningham  [Birmingham] 
13. Steve Spence  [Scunthorpe]
14. Mark Ketnor  [Leicester] 
15. Leon Mrvik  [Long Eaton] 
16. Gilson De Jesus  [Nottingham] 
17. Simon Henry  [Leicester] 

Midlands Ratings: Light-Middleweight-Flyweight [April 2012]

Midlands ratings, light-middleweight to flyweight, compiled by Tom Podmore. [N.B. Any fighter inactive for 12 months - or with no bout scheduled in the near future - is dropped from the list.]

Light-Middleweight 

1. Max Maxwell [Birmingham] 
2. Marcus Portman [West Bromwich] 
3. Peter Vaughan [Banbury]  
4. Jamie Ball [Coseley] Midlands Area Champion 
5. Nasser Al Harbi [Birmingham] 
6. Thomas Costello [Birmingham]  
7. Kevin McCauley [Stourbridge] 
8. Dee Mitchell [Birmingham] 
9. Duane Parker [Woodville] 
10. Danny Fletcher [Nottingham] 
11. Luke Gallear [Derby]  
12. Terry Maughan [Nottingham] 
13. Kyle Spencer [Brierley Hill] 
14. Billy Smith [Worcester] 
15. Rick Boulter [Lincoln] 
16. Sullivan Mason [Nuneaton] 
17. Andy Hardy [Nottingham] 
18. Jimmy Price [Swadlincote] 

Welterweight 

1. Frankie Gavin [Birmingham]
2. Adnan Amar [Nottingham] 
3. Young Mutley [West Bromwich]  
4. Mark Lloyd [Telford] 
5. Jason Welborn [Tividale] Midlands Area Champion 
6. James Flinn [Coventry] British Masters Champion 
7. Scott Haywood [Derby] 
8. Jack Perry [Derby] 
9. Joel Ryan [Walsall] 
10. Sean McKervey [Coventry]
11. Ben Lawler [Skegness]
12. Nathan McIntosh [Nottingham] 
13. Rob Hunt [Stafford] 
14. Tommy Ghent [Coseley]  
15. Steve Jevons [Swanwick] 
16. Andrew Patterson [Birmingham] 
17. Ryan Hookway [Leicester] 
18. Scott Evans [Stourbridge] 
19. Tom Bowen [Sedgley] 
20. Shane Normoyle [Coventry] 
21. Calum Cooper [Birmingham]
22. Carl Allen [Wolverhampton] 
23. Steven Pearce [Stourbridge] 
24. Danny Clews [Walsall]  
25. Matt Seawright [Tamworth] 
26. Martin Gordon [Brierley Hill] 
27. Jason Nesbitt [Birmingham] 
28. Lee Jevons [Swanwick] 

Light-Welterweight 

1. Dale Miles [Alfreton] 
2. Dave Ryan [Derby] Midlands Area Champion 
3. Chris Truman [Birmingham] 
4. Jamie Spence [Northampton] 
5. Leonard Lothian [Northampton] 
6. John Connelly [Birmingham]  
7. Sid Razak [Birmingham] 
8. Kristian Laight [Nuneaton] 
9. Rizwan Rasool [Dudley] 

Lightweight 

1. Martin Gethin [Walsall] International Masters Welterweight Champion 
2. Amir Unsworth [Sleaford] Midlands Area Champion 
3. Scott Jenkins [Chesterfield]  
4. Tom Shaw [Burton] 
5. Dean Anderson [Dudley]  
6. Rob Sharpe [Mansfield] 
7. Andy Keates [Leek]  
8. Steve Gethin [Walsall] 
9. Marvin Campbell [Stoke] 

Super-Featherweight 

1. Troy James [Coventry] Midlands Area Champion 
2. Barrington Brown [Nottingham] 
3. Paul Frost [Derby] 
4. Matin Mohammed [Nottingham] 

Featherweight 

1. Chris Male [Dudley] 
2. Lee Glover [Tipton] International Masters Champion 
3. Leigh Wood [Nottingham] 
4. Saquib Amir [Halesowen] 
5. Pavels Senkovs [Mansfield] 

Super-Bantamweight 

1. Rendall Munroe [Leicester] 
2. Jason Booth [Nottingham] 
3. Dougie Walton [Coventry] 
4. Ash Lane [Northampton]
5. Delroy Spencer [Walsall] 

Super-Flyweight 

1. Don Broadhurst [Birmingham]  
2. Nathan Reeve [Northampton] 

Flyweight 

1. Chris Edwards [Stoke] British and Commonwealth Champion 
2. Usman Ahmed [Derby] 
3. Sheldon Purdy [Leicester] 

Successful night for Midlands duo Perry and Owen

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Time-keepers error costs McPhilbin British belt

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

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

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

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

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

Or not.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Welborn retains Midlands belt with power show

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Keane dominates as Gethin and Anderson have early nights

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

It was set for six.

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

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

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

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

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

Costello shines in seconds; Cunningham impress over distance

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Three out of three for Cooper-trained trio

Shaun Cooper woke up on Saturday morning a happy man.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Terry O'Connor scored at ringside for Mr Morris.

Brummie veteran Razak to fight for Midlands belt

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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