Wright pulls out of Macklin fight

Matthew Macklin's fight with former undisputed light-middleweight champion Ronald 'Winky' Wright is off.

The brick-fisted Birmingham middleweight, 28-2 (19), was set to swap leather with the American over ten rounds on April 9 at the MGM Grand, Las Vegas.

But all-time great Wright, who was to have his first fight in two years, injured his hand sparring last week, leaving the two-time European champion searching for a new opponent on his debut fight for Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions.

Macklin, 28, said: "To be honest, i'm gutted. A win against Winky would have put me right up there among the challengers for a world title. He was making a comeback and aiming to do the same thing.

"It was a great fight for both of us and it would have brought out the very best of me," added the former British champion from Solihull.

Maughan ready for Clark test

Terry Maughan feels his career-best win last time out has kick-started a charge towards the British light-middleweight title.

The three-time British kick-boxing champion from Nottingham has had a mixed start to his hands-only boxing career - and was sensationally (not to mention shockingly) taken apart on his debut in two rounds by veteran Matt Scriven in 2009.

But the 25-year-old has won three of his last four (a controversial stoppage defeat to Sheffield's Monsoor Wali punctuating a two-fight winning streak) and soundly out-boxed and shut-out a solid southpaw, West Brom's former British Masters title challenger Wayne Downing, on his last visit to the ring.

And now Maughan, trained by Tony Harris - who instigated Jason Booth's turn-around from alcoholic to world title challenger - in his home city, boxes durable trier Ryan Clark over four rounds on Saturday (March 12) at the Northgate Leisure Centre in Lincolnshire.

Sturdy and willing, 32-bout Clark's confidence will be sky-high after drawing with undefeated Myles Holder in Walsall last week - and the Sneinton-based scrapper, who had no amateur experience but was 5-0 in unlicenced boxing, expects a test from the battle-hardened 21-year-old from Lincoln.

"I know he [Clark] is tough but it's a fight i should and will win," said the East Midlander, originally trained by former WBC world super-middleweight champion Richie Woodhall in Birmingham when he turned pro two years ago.

"I'll use my skills to keep things the way i want them and box him, as i know he'll probably come looking to drag me down into the trenches - especially as he is boxing close to home.

"But i'm looking forward to it and after the way i boxed in November [the aforementioned four-round destruction of Downing], i feel better than ever.

"Everyone wants to win the British title and i'm no different," he continued. "I get up at 6:15 four days a week, train hard, and believe i have the tools to go and take that belt one day."

Davies aiming to put Borisov to sleep

Not even a change of opponent will stop Rhys Davies in his blood-thirsty quest for brutal knockouts.

The self-styled 'Chocolate Warrior' from Coventry (pictured on the left) has racked up an impressive pro record of four wins in five (one draw) but now has only one thing on his mind: to knock a man cold.

He was penciled in to fight durable Bulgarian cruiserweight champion Yavor Marinchev over four rounds at Bedworth Civic Hall on April 11, on a Les Allen-promoted show that see's another Coventry fighter, unbeaten James Flinn, challenging Ben Lawler for the British Masters welterweight title.

But Marinchev has pulled out with injury and now Davies, whose twin - fleet-footed, fast-fisted super-middleweight Llewy - boxed in the last Prizefighter, meets an iron-jawed 29-year-old, Verban Borisov, who gave touted Geordie Kash Hussain a decent argument in Birmingham in January.

Davies, 27, boxed on that card - shutting out Tayar Mehmed over a routine four- and now wants to send his Eastern European opponent back on the long journey home with a headache and the memory of the 6'1 personal trainer looming over him.

"My opponent may have changed but that really doesn't matter," boasted the Oliver Harrison-trained West Midlander. "He might be known as 'Tank' and have a solid left hook but lets see how long he lasts against me, shall we?

"I give him a minute before he's hugging the ropes for comfort."

EU shot for frustrated Lloyd

Telford's Mark Lloyd has, after three years of trying, finally secured himself another meaningful title fight.

The former three-weight champion (British and International Masters titles at light-middleweight and middleweight, as well as a Midland Area title at welterweight) will travel to Italy to take on Cagliari's Luciano 'Bazooka' Abis for the EU title on April 15.

The 12-rounder appears to have come at the right time for the 35-year-old from Shropshire, 15-3 (3), who has a reputation as a rock-jawed, iron-souled pressure fighter who doesn't know the meaning of the word quit.

He said: "I have lost count of the number of times that I have been promised a big fight only to see it has fallen through.

"To be honest, I was getting dis-heartened with boxing and I was ready to knock it on the head,"  the former English title challenger, a plumber by day and puncher by night, candidly admitted. "But all the contracts and paperwork have come through for this one and I’m really up for it. 

"I'm ready to take this chance."

European Union (a sister title to the full European strap) champion Abis, 31, has a stellar 30-1-1 paid ledger but is not known as a puncher, only 14 coming via the short route. But he is, based on a few sightings I've had of him on Eurosport, a fast, skillful, steady operator who gave then-European champion Rafal Jackiewicz a decent test.

And though Lloyd has a susceptibility to cuts (sliced open in three of his last four outings), he's only been halted by undefeated Jamie Cox, a fight he was leading until caught to the body in the final session, is tough, hits the body well and should have enough know-how to cause problems.

That said, he is honest enough to admit he's clueless as to what to expect on his first fight outside England.

“I don’t know much about Abis," continued the Errol Johnson-trained scraper, a one-time Prizefighter semi-finalist. "All that i do know, however, is that he has a cracking record and his only defeat has been on a split decision so he can definitely fight a bit.

"But i'm confident, even if it's in his backyard. I'm going there to win."

Froch: bring on Pavlik, Johnson, Ward, Pascal...

Carl Froch says he has no fear of taking on Kelly Pavlik - or any other fighter at 12st or 12st 7lbs for that matter.

The WBC world super-middleweight champion from Nottingham meets Miami-based Jamaican Glen Johnson, a former world number one at light-heavyweight, in the Super Six semi-final in May with the news that Pavilk has been installed as his number one contender.

Pavlik, who once reigned as the undisputed champion at middleweight before running into Argentine Sergio Martinez in his last outing, is known as a tough, uncompromising puncher who has knocked out 32 men in compiling a stellar 36-2 professional ledger.

However, the 28-year-old American was humbled by Bernard Hopkins two years ago in his only fight at super-middle, and rock-fisted Froch - a career-long campaigner at this weight - believes his strength and power would be too much.

"He [Pavlik] was big and strong at his weight but he would be massively out of his depth at super-middle," began the two-time WBC boss from the East Midlands. "He got handed a massive whooping when he took on [Bernard] Hopkins a couple of years ago.

"To be honest, i'm not worried at all. He would be easy to beat."

And Froch's confidence is sky-high after a career-best performance in his last fight.

'The Cobra' traveled to Finland in November to out-box dangerous ex-IBF champion Arthur Abraham, who was the pre-fight favourite entering, over 12 rounds - shutting him out on two of the three scorecards (dropping only one round on the other) and regaining the World Boxing Council belt he'd lost closely to Mikkel Kessler earlier in the year.

"I pierced 'King Arthur' with the jab and rocked him with clubbing shots, and I could tell that he was surprised with my strength when I put the punches together," continued a man who is arguably Britain's pound-for-pound number one.

"Let me tell you this, Abraham can really punch," he candidly admitted. "But I took away his tools and broke his heart with my range and movement.

"Many were concerned about my mental game ahead of the fight but I was supremely confident in what I had in my bag.

"I knew from the outset I would be his worst nightmare and everyone will agree that I was."

Now Froch, 27-1 (20), has turned his attention to another former IBF champion, 67-fight (51 wins, two draws - 35 stoppages) Johnson, who once knocked out all-time great Roy Jones Jr and who went 1-1-1 with Sheffield's Clinton Woods in world title fights.  

The 33-year-old Englishman acknowledges that his veteran opponent, stopped only by Bernard Hopkins in a stellar 18-year paid career that has seen him cross swords with the elite, is getting better with every year that passes.

"Like a fine wine, this guy just gets better with age. He is now into his 40s [42] and as game as anyone can be.

"If anything, he is a better fighter today than he was ten years ago," said the Nottingham Forest fan of a fight that is set for May 21 but is still without a confirmed venue. "And his KO victory over Allan Green last year proved he is no push over.

"People assume I will be taking this man lightly but that would be unprofessional as he also knocked out a Roy Jones and was very close to giving [former WBC 12st 7lbs king, Chad] Dawson his first defeat.

"I've got a hit list: Johnson, [WBA 12st champ, Andre] Ward in the Super Six final, [the only man to beat Froch, Mikkel] Kessler and [ex-victim and current WBC light-heavyweight monarch, Jean] Pascal. Then i can retire knowing i cleaned up." 

Win 13 for Parker sets up title challenge

Duane Parker's 13th professional victory in Birmingham last night (February 28) has set him up for title action before the summer.

The measured Woodville light-middleweight negotiated his toughest-looking test to date, soundly out-boxing Leicester's dangerous, older, bigger and always-willing Simon Fleck over eight tough rounds. 

Referee Shaun Messer, who officiated throughout, marked Parker (pictured) a 78-75 winner.

Fleck, who once held handy Carl Drake to an eight-round draw, has seen better days but with 15 pro fights behind him (five wins and a draw, one stoppage) and an eight-year age advantage he was always likely to cause problems to a tall, improving stylist whose work off the jab has seen him concede only nine rounds out of a possible 74 since he made his paid bow in 2007.

Errol Johnson-trained Parker conceded four pounds in weight to the East Midlander (11st 3lbs to 11st 7lbs) but sharp, accurate punches kept him a step ahead, forcing Fleck to try and bore his way in an attempt to rough the former Burton ABC ace up on the inside.

But the unbeaten prospect stuck to what he knew best throughout the 16-minute contest and was delighted with win 13 from 13.

"I was pleased with my performance," said the blonde-haired 23-year-old from Derbyshire. "He was a tough, strong lad who kept coming forward.

"He tried to talk to me when things got close, egging me on to stand there and trade with him. But i stuck to my boxing and thought i won comfortably in the end. 

"It was just the fight i needed before going on  to longer distances."

And now there's talk of Duane meeting undefeated stablemate Jamie Ball, who captured the vacant Midland Area 11st strap with an eight-round KO victory over A.A. Lowe on Saturday night in Walsall.

Parker watched on from ringside for that fight and has no fear in meeting the Coseley southpaw, 11-0-1 (2), adding: "I watched him [Ball] on Saturday and, to be honest, i thought he boxed well against a tough lad who came to win.

"It would be a great fight for the Midlands - two unbeaten lads going at it for the title. That said, i'm confident of beating him and it would be great if it could happen in Burton."

But there was disaster for another ex-Burton ABC favourite, reigning British Masters super-middleweight champion Jonjo Finnegan, on Pat Cowdell's three-bout dinner show at Birmingham's Holiday Inn last night.

Finnegan was being lined up to headline a bumper bill in Burton in April but slipped to a shocking five-round stoppage defeat to Derby's unheralded Elvis Dube, who registered only his second win (both via the short route) in eight fights.

The 30-year-old former Irish title challenger controlled the majority of the action until Shinfield-handled Dube stepped on the pressure in the fifth and sent the Burton-based boxer tumbling to the canvas after a combination of solid-looking punches, leaving Mr Messer with no alternative but to stop matters with seven seconds left of the penultimate session.

Now 13-6-3, Finnegan's latest setback could raise serious questions over his future involvement in the sport.

Both were 12st 4lbs.

Derby's Luke Gallear (11st), who lost to headliner Parker in a cracking six-rounder two years ago, leveled his record up at 3-3-1 with a 59-55 six-twos points nod over Midlands-born, Wales-based gypsy hardman Billy Smith (10st 8lbs), a former Midland Area champion at 10st.

Concepcion downed again

Martin Concepcion hoped a win on Saturday would inject zest into a career that promised so much but never delivered.

But the chin-or-be-chinned Leicester banger (pictured) was brutally swatted aside in less than five minutes by Belarus' Siarhei Rabchenka on a Hatton Promotions-promoted, Sky-televised show in Bolton on Saturday night (February 26).

Concepcion went unbeaten in his first eleven paid fights but has gone 6-9 since, with six of those defeats coming inside the distance. He was knocked out in eleven by Sam Webb in a challenge for the British light-middleweight title last time out and has to be seriously considering his options after this latest setback.

Okay, so Rabchenka, 25, was undefeated in 15 entering (11 early) but, aside from a six-round stoppage over once-decent but shopworn Ukrainian Roman Dzhuman, was untested and even the Midlander had been unimpressed with what little he'd seen.

"He's been put in with people who are there to survive," said the 29-year-old former Midland Area champion, who once smashed then-unbeaten Matthew Hall to a one-round defeat, before his scheduled eight-rounder.

"He's had things all his own way so far," he continued. "If he wants to stand and trade punches with me, he will feel my power.

"We'll see what happens when someone hits him back."

Yet Concepcion, who also unsuccessfully challenged for the Commonwealth 11st strap in 2007, was never at the races with the Eastern European, hitting the deck early in the second stanza after an accumulation of solid punches. Although he beat the count, a left to the body sunk the East Midlander again and, after looking closely into his eyes, promoted referee Phil Edwards to call a halt to proceedings with 1:41 of the round gone.

Capable enough to beat those slightly below domestic level it's difficult to see what's next for Martin, now 17-9 (10), who is seemingly too fragile to carve out a decent career as a journeyman. Besides, his competitive urges and bulldog pride would probably rule that route out anyway.

Another Leicester fighter, Lester Walsh, also tasted defeat on the undercard - shut-out by local lad Kieran Maher, now without a blemish in seven, over four. Durable Walsh was a national amateur champion in his youth but lost for the 14th time in 17 paid bouts. 

Ball's body shots secure Area 11st crown

Undefeated Coseley light-middleweight Jamie Ball lifted the vacant Midland Area light-middleweight title on his second attempt with an eight-round KO over hard-as-nails Nottinghamshire scrapper Andrew Alan (A.A) Lowe on Saturday night (February 26).

First Team (PJ Rowson and Errol Johnson) promoted the seven-fight card at Walsall Town Hall, which was the first time professional boxing had been at the town centre venue since the pair put in a show here in October 2006.

And 12-fight (11 wins, two inside) unbeaten southpaw Ball (10st 13 3/4lbs), who was held to a draw against Keiron Gray in his first crack at this belt in December, ground-down the former Marine, now 8-4 (1), forcing referee Bob Williams to count him out after absorbing a left to the body 43 seconds into the eighth of a scheduled ten.

Truth be told, the Black Country boxer (pictured) was simply too big for the Carl Greaves-handled Newark scrapper (10st 13 1/2lbs), making his natural advantages in size more and more evident as the interesting fight progressed. 

Now with his first belt strapped around his 11st waist, there's plenty of options for 26-year-old Ball - and Jon Pegg hinted that he'd be interested in putting his charge, erratic Brummie brawler Terry Carruthers, in with the newly-crowned Midland Area king.

On the subject of former decent pro Pegg, another one of his fighters - have-a-go welterweight Andrew Patterson (10st 10 1/2lbs) - registered his fourth paid win (and his fourth stoppage) with a final-round stoppage over undefeated hometown hero Danny Clews (10st 11 1/2lbs).

Willing and tough, Patterson is quickly getting a reputation as one of the most dangerous journeyman on the pro circuit. He's scalped two undefeated men, and destroyed the hopes of two touted debutants. On top of that, 'Patt' held unbeaten Matt Doyle and Keith Sheen to draws in his 22 fights.

But Clews, 22, sliced open his durable opponent in the opening round and was probably edging the contest until the 31-year-old from Birmingham unleashed a cluster of punches that prompted referee Rob Chalmers to dive in and rescue the Walsall welter at 1:45.

Eastern European fighters are always interesting; they're either durable or fold like a piece of soggy paper. And the two brought in to face unbeaten Black Country duo, Dudley's Chris Male (9st 2 1/2lsb), 10-0 (1) and West Bromwich's Lee Glover (9st 3/4lbs), now 5-0 (2), definitely belong in the latter category.

But that wasn't to be expected, in truth. A quick glance of the resume of the Bulgarian pair, Fikret Remziev (9st 2 1/4lbs), who was decked twice and iced in the opening round of a six-threes by Male, and Plamen Kostadinov (9st 3/4lbs), who was also dropped and knocked out - this time in three by 'Tipton Slasher' Glover - showed only a combined eight stoppage defeats in almost 30 outings.

Yet Mr Chalmers counted out Remziev 2:28 into the first stanza; Williams tolling the ten count over Kostadinov after 37 seconds of the third of a set six-threes. Both Glover, only 23, and Male, the British Masters super-featherweight champion, are talented men who could do with a step up.

Other results saw Stafford first-timer Grant Cunningham (11st 11lbs) drop (round five) and outpoint Scunthorpe's Davy Jones (11st 8 1/4lbs) over six-twos. Jones was sliced open in the second and Bob Williams' 60-53 scoreline highlighted the Staffordshire super-middleweight's superiority.

There was a winning debut for Sedgley's Tom Bowen (10st 11lbs), who was given a 40-37 four-twos nod over Tamworth's always-willing Matt Seawright (10st 13 3/4lbs). But Myles Holder's (11st 5 3/4lbs) four-fight winning run was brought to an end by durable Ryan Clark (11st 8 1/2lbs), who earned a 38 apiece four-twos draw.

Referee for both was Mr Chalmers.

Ryan now a two-weight Area boss

Dave Ryan's decision to drop seven pounds and challenge for the vacant Midland 10st title proved to be a fruitful one on Sunday afternoon (February 27), outpointing slippery Leonard Lothian over ten.

The 27-year-old Derby stylist (pictured), boxing at light-welterweight for the first time since his debut four years ago, dominated a man he'd outscored over six - in Nottingham in 2007 - to secure his second Area strap. 

Referee Shaun Messer marked the ex-Midland welterweight king (10st) a handy 98-93 victor.

Ingle-handled Lothian (9st 13 1/2lbs) possesses all the hallmarks of his stable's style: fleet-footed, awkward to hit and punches that come from angles that can't be predicted. But the Northampton boxer's famed allusiveness couldn't protect him from a sharp lead left from Ryan, whose non-stop pressure started to show as the fight progressed to the latter stages.

Ryan, 10-4 (2), dominated the eighth and ninth, with a well-timed right sending the 28-year-old into a corner and doing well to survive the follow-up onslaught. But survive he did and made it to the final bell only to lose for the ninth time in 21 (two draws).

But it was a bad day for promoter Clifton Mitchell's son, Ty Mitchell, on the four-fight Heritage Hotel card in Derby.

Mitchell, undefeated in two entering and trained by his ex-pro heavyweight dad, was penciled in to compete in the super-middleweight Prizefighter in Liverpool next month but slipped to an unexpected 39-38 four-threes defeat to capable Lee Duncan.

Duncan, a last-minute replacement for Danny Goode, outweighed Mitchell significantly (13st 1lb to the Derby prospect's 11st 12lbs) and that proved crucial as the Sheffield switch-hitter, whose up-and-down paid ledger reads 3-5-2, out-muscled the 20-year-old in the middle rounds.

Not even a verbal dressing down from his dad before the final three minutes was enough to swing matters Ty's way, with Mr Messer lifted the away fighter's hand as the bell rang.

Mitchell stormed from the ring but is still expected to compete in Prizefighter next month. The loss could do him good.

Two novice East Midlanders picked up wins on the undercard.

Long Eaton's Leon Mrvik looked set to concede defeat on his pro bow but, after finding his feet, put in a huge final round to secure the victory, outpointing Surrey slugger Hayden Chick, now 1-2, 58-57. Both weighed 11st 7 1/2lbs.

Another one-point winner was Derby lightweight Paul Frost (9st 7lbs), who survived a cut in the third to have his glove raised 58-57 against sturdy Wiltshire journeyman 'Dirty' Dan Carr (9st 11 1/2lbs). Despite inspections to his wound in the fourth and fifth stanzas, Frost wobbled Carr in the penultimate round and won for the second time in three.

Rob Chalmers handled both six-twos.

Area titles to be decided over weekend

A brace of Midland belts are up for grabs this weekend on two good-value shows.

Firstly, on a First Team-promoted show at Walsall Town Hall on Saturday night (February 26), Coseley's 11-fight (10 wins, one inside) unbeaten Jamie Ball and Newark's ex-marine Andrew Alan (A.A) Lowe (pictured) clash for the vacant 11st strap.

Interestingly, this will be the first show at the Town Hall since October 2006.

Sturdy southpaw Ball, 26, boxed for the same title before Christmas, being held to a ten-round draw with dangerous Telford's Keiron Gray, who managed to deck the Black Country lefty in the final three minutes.

Gray retired immediately after and now Lowe, 8-3 (1) and who is only boxing for the third time in three years, gets a second chance to secure the Midland belt. He fought for the welterweight version in 2008, and was ground down by hard-as-nails Mark Lloyd in eight rounds.

The following day (February 27), at the Heritage Hotel in Derby, hometown hero Dave Ryan crosses swords with Northampton's Leonard Lothian, 10-8-2, for light-welterweight belt.

Ryan, who held this belt at 10st 7lbs until a shock defeat to erratic Kevin McCauley last October, has lost three on the bounce (albeit in solid company) after racking nine wins (two stoppages) in ten but holds a six-round points victory over Lothian in 2007.

Styles should mesh well on Clifton Mitchell's Sunday afternoon card, with the 27-year-old East Midlander favourite to add his second Area belt at a second weight.

Parker in line for Area title chance

Duane Parker knows extending his unbeaten pro record to 13 fights on Monday night (February 28) will lead to a title shot in April.

The Woodville light-middleweight meets Leicester's always-willing Simon Fleck, five wins and a draw in 14, over eight rounds on a Pat Cowdell show at Birmingham's Holiday Inn - and is then penciled in to fight the winner of the vacant Midland Area 11st title scrap between stablemate Jamie Ball and Andrew Alan Lowe, who meet on Saturday night in Walsall.

Tall and measured, Parker, 23, has rattled out 12 wins in as many paid outings and, after an almost-four-year apprenticeship, is itching for title action.

“I feel I’m ready to take the step up,” said the Derby County supporter, who dropped his last opponent, Rick Boulter, on the way to a resounding six-round points victory in Birmingham last month. 

“I’m improving and hitting harder.”

Another Errol Johnson-trained Burton boxer on Cowdell's city centre card is British Masters super-middleweight champion Jonjo Finnegan, 13-5-3, who meets Derby's Elvis Dube over six.

Former Irish light-heavyweight title challenger Finnegan, who boxed Parker's opponent, Fleck,  as an amateur, captured his first pro title in Burton in October - a hard-fought ten-round nod over Sheffield binman Dean Walker (who'd held him to a draw in 2006) - and a win in the Second City will see him top the bill in defence of his Masters belt in April.

Macklin: Winky's Wright for me

Matthew Macklin believes his ten-round clash with living legend Ronald 'Winky' Wright in Las Vegas has come at the right time.

The two-time former European middleweight champion from Birmingham takes on Wright, the first-ever undisputed champion at light-middleweight back in 2004, at the MGM Grand in Vegas on April 9, and feels going in with a man of the Florida southpaw's experience will only make him the fighter he longs to be.

"This is exactly the kind of fight I've been looking for and I believe it will bring out the absolute best in me," said Solihull-based Macklin, 28-2 (19).

"He's been in 15 world title fights and fought the likes of Bernard Hopkins, Jermain Taylor and Paul Williams, as well as having a pair of wins over Shane Mosley and a shut-out win over Felix Trinidad.

"On top of that, he has been consistently considered amongst the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world over the last decade."

Although nine months shy of 40 and being inactive since a near-shut-out defeat to then-red-hot Paul Williams in April 2009, Wright is still the pre-fight favourite - even if that is based on his impossible-to-hit, iron-chinned (never stopped) style of old.

But is that still there at 39?

It would, based on age and inactivity, be foolish to write off Wright, despite having lost back-to-back fights (albeit against Paul Williams and Bernard Hopkins) and not scoring a win since 2006.

After all, he's mixed with the best, only lost to world-class opposition and brings to the table a 51-5-1 (25) paid ledger that has seen him cross swords with the elite since 1994, when Macklin was only 12.

Truth be told, he's probably forgotten more than Macklin knows.

And as much as the hammer-punching Second City scrapper has been in sparkling form as of late, Winky is on a different level to anyone he's faced since he made his pro bow in 2001.

Jumping from European level to world class is difficult at the best of times, but especially against a man who was in the top three pound-for-pound on earth at his pomp and who has held every recognised version of a world title.

But the 28-year-old, who hopes to secure a world title shot if he wins, is relishing it: "He's someone I've looked up to throughout my career but this is my time to make a big impact over there [in America] and this is the perfect fight to do that in.

"I know that it's a massive challenge, but one i know i can complete," added the 28-year-old Birmingham City supporter.

Booth leapfrogs Munroe to EBU shot

Jason Booth's reward for his hard-fought victory over Jamie Arthur earlier this month is a crack at the vacant European super-bantamweight title.

Nottingham's British and Commonwealth 8st 10lbs champion, who has come up short in three previous attempts to land the continental strap, will now meet iron-fisted Spaniard Kiko Martinez for the belt, probably in May.

Willie Casey relinquished his crown to meet Guillermo Rigondeaux for the Cuban's WBA interim title next month.

And two-time European king Martinez, who has only lost three times in 27 pro outings (17 inside), is perhaps best-remembered for his one-round blowout of future WBA champion Bernard Dunne in 2007, as well as his two points defeats to Booth's friend, Leicester's ex-EBU boss Rendall Munroe, with this belt on the line.

Interestingly, Munroe, who boxed unsuccessfully for the WBC title in Japan last year, has been overlooked for a straight shot at his old belt - a little-known rule means he would have had to won any fight to be in the mix - although will no doubt be in line to meet the winner.

An all-East Midlands showdown between two men who boxed for world titles last year would be mouth-watering.

But for hard-working Booth, 33 and 36-6 (15), he finally has a chance to annex a title that's alluded him three times in a up-and-down 15-year paid career that has seen him wear British, Commonwealth and IBO crowns.

All of those failed attempts have come on foreign shores - France (twice) and Spain - and promoter Frank Maloney will no doubt be delivering home advantage for the East Midlander, who hopes victory against the limited puncher from Madrid will secure him another shot at a recognised version of a world title.


"I'm already a bit excited for the chance and beating someone like the Spaniard, who has knocked out [Bernard] Dunne and lost to my mate Rendall Munroe, will do my position no harm," added the Tony Harris-trained box-fighter.

Once-promising Mitchell loses again

When i first saw Dee Mitchell box, against Welshman Chris Brophy on his paid bow in 2006, i was convinced the switch-hitting welterweight could challenge for top domestic honours as his professional career progressed.

That initial feeling was backed up as he breezed through his opening opponents, including reversing an unfortunate injury loss to Gatis Skuja, as well as scalping former British and Commonwealth title challenger Martin Concepcion, who had beaten him in a nip-and-tuck four-rounder previously.

However, the stocky Brummie, who looked as though he might fulfill that early promise after beating Concepcion, lost for the ninth consecutive time (and for the eleventh time in 12) on Monday night (February 21), going down over eight rounds (78-74) to returning Paul Burns, now 11-1-3 (1), in Scotland.

Jon Pegg-trained Mitchell, 34 and now 9-13 (2), is much better than his record suggests, durable and always provides decent arguments to those he's matched with on the road, which includes no fewer than five one-point defeats.

But this latest loss, against a man who i feel he could have beaten on the evidence of what i saw at the start, suggests he's now settled and comfortable with a career that sees him test prospects rather than regularly scalp them.

Another Midlander, Nuneaton's Kristian Laight, tasted defeat on the same show at Glasgow's Radisson Hotel. Kristian recently punched for pay for the hundredth time but was shut-out over six rounds by undefeated Arran McKelvie to see him lose for the 89th time.

Defeat for brave Harrison in Vegas

Dean Harrison's ambitious attempt to snap the undefeated record of touted Mike Alvarado ended in painful defeat on Saturday (February 19).

The 27-year-old Wolverhampton light-welter had been forced to scour the internet for a fight after being knocked back in several attempts to secure contests on British shores, including a rematch with Nigel Wright - who Harrison had decked in an unsuccessful English title challenge last year.

The hours of internet searching proved fruitful, however, and he got the chance to return to an American city (Las Vegas) where he'd been a hit four years ago.

Harrison, then unbeaten in nine, had stopped Ramon Guevara in five rounds at the MGM Grand the night before Floyd Mayweather demolished Ricky Hatton in 2007, and the Black Country boxer found himself a few blocks down the round, at the Mandalay Bay, to tackle Alvarado in 2011.

The mallet-fisted American, who now has a pro tab reading 29-0 (21) after his four-round retirement dismissal of the Midlander, is being maneuvered onto big things by powerful Top Rank, already scalping solid operators like Michael Clark, Cesar Bazan and Manuel Garnica.

And he wasted no time in cutting brave Lee Beard-trained Harrison, now 16-5 (5), down to size with an assortment of well-timed shots to both head and body, cutting the Englishman into the bargain. The one-sided contest was finally brought to a close when the ex-Midland Area champion was retired on his stool at the end of the fourth.

Harrison, who was set to box Frankie Gavin at the end of last year, will be hoping for a job closer to home next time out.

Gavin targets British title after latest stoppage

Frankie Gavin's latest victory could pave the way to a British 10st title shot before the summer.

The slippery Second City southpaw registered his ninth win in as many paid bouts (eight inside) with a cultured seventh-round stoppage over Prizefighter welterweight champion Michael Lomax at York Hall on Saturday (February 19).

Gavin was originally penciled in for an eight-rounder against ultra-durable Frenchman Mounir Guebbas but had been elevated to 12-round main event status after a last-minute injury to ex-training partner Tony Bellew, who'd been set to defend his Commonwealth light-heavyweight title for the first time.

A fight against former European lightweight boss Jason Cook was put forward as a new bill-topper, but Cook was rejected by the BBBofC due to worries about the Welshman making 10st at such late notice.

So in came Lomax, like the Brummie a right-leading fighter, and on paper it looked a difficult assignment.

The 32-year-old Essex stylist, as said, was a winner of the welterweight edition of Prizefighter, scalping former EBU champ Ted Bami along the way, and had only tasted defeat to championship-level fighters - Kell Brook (British title challenge, three), Bradley Pryce (points over eight) and current British and Commonwealth welterweight monarch Craig Watson (also on points over eight).

He had shown glimpses of quality - even if they were brief - in all three of those losses.

Against the fast-punching, fast-moving 2007 World Amateur Champion, however, he was never at the races.

Well-supported from Birmingham, Anthony Farnell-trained Gavin, 25, punished the Chingford boxer, now 17-4-1 (2), round after round until Lomax's corner had seen enough and threw the towel in with 18 seconds remaining of the seventh stanza.

Now Frankie has targeted ownership of the coveted Lonsdale Belt, won on the same night in the capital - albeit on a Hennessy Sports-promoted show in Wembley - by globe-trotting Ashley Theophane.

Whether Theophane, who is ranked highly by the IBF at welterweight and hinted after his unanimous 12-round decision over Lenny Daws that he may relinquish the belt he'd just won, would accept the high-risk-low-reward contest with Gavin remains to be seen.

But the Frank Warren-promoted Yardley prospect, due to box again in April, has indicated he'd seriously fancy the job against the Londoner or any of Britain's premier 140lb fighters given the chance.

"I've seen his (Theophane's) fights and he's a class act. But i'll beat him hands down if he steps up to the plate," added the Birmingham City supporter.

Booth returns to win column

Many would have forgiven Jason Booth if he'd have hung up his gloves after a close world title defeat to Canadian southpaw Steve Molitor in September.

After all, his outside-the-ring troubles are as well-documented as his in-ring exploits (a former alcoholic who sank as low as raiding bins to feed his thirst for alcohol).

But the hard-working, never-say-die Nottingham super-bantamweight still has lofty ambitions in the game and kept those on-track with a 12-round split decision over Jamie Arthur, the Commonwealth champion, in Essex on Saturday (February 5).

Smooth-boxing Booth retained his British 8st 10lbs title for the fourth time after a hard-fought scrap that saw Welshman Arthur, now 18-5 (4), boss the opening nine minutes of action with work done primarily off a sharp left-hand lead.

Yet the East Midlander, who only arrived at the Brentwood Leisure Centre, 25 minutes before he was set to step into the ring due to taking a wrong turn off the M25, found his feet as the 36-minute contest decended into a give-and-take scrap.

Both were sliced open in the fifth but it was the 2002 Commonwealth Games gold medalist's cut in the seventh that gave iron-willed Strelley-based Booth, 33 and now 33-6 (15), the inspiration to do some of his best work.

Neither mans work was clean throughout but a solid right in the tenth made 31-year-old Arthur, Cwmbran and taller by almost six inches, cling on for survival.

Booth couldn't, however, deliver a grandstand finish and manged to convince two judges, Marcus McDonnell (117-112) and Ian John-Lewis (115-113), he'd done enough to add the Commonwealth strap to his collection.

Richie Davies sided with Arthur by a one-point margin, 115-114.

Arthur, who started life as a pro at lightweight, is hoping for a rematch and Booth, who started as a flyweight, is potentially in-line for a fight with another Midlands super-bantamweight who came up short in a world title challenge, Leicester's slick ex-European champion Rendall Munroe.