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."