Disjointed Froch secures Super Six final berth

Carl Froch proved yet again that it's not how you start - but how you finish.

Nottingham's WBC world super-middleweight champion made the second successful defence of his title in his second reign as champion, earning a hard-fought majority decision over Miami-based Jamaican Glen Johnson at the Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, last night (June 4).

British judge Mark Green saw the self-styled 'Cobra' a 116-112 victor, American John Stewart had it wider at 117-111 but Japanese judge Nobuaki Uratani - in a bizzare piece of scoring for me - marked the 12-rounder level at 114 apiece.

For what it's worth, i had Froch a handy 117-113 winner.

But possibly more important than retaining the sought-after green belt, he will now meet undefeated WBA champion Andre Ward, watching on from ringside, in the Super Six final later in the year - with the right for the triumphant fighter to call himself the premier 12st fighter on the planet.

Will smooth-boxing Ward, who expected the younger man to win in the lead-up to the fight, be worried after seeing Froch disjointedly dispose of Johnson? It's doubtful. But the 2004 Olympic Games gold medalist seems an un-worried type of fighter who gives every opponent he's set to meet the maximum amount of respect.

Talking of respect, Johnson seemed to be receiving too much of that in the first 12 minutes of the absorbing 36-minute contest.

And despite pre-fight worries about how easily the 42-year-old former IBF light-heavyweight king made the 12st limit after a decade competing seven pounds north - he tipped the scales at 11st 12 1/2lbs - it was the East Midlander who looked the weaker of the two in the opening three sessions.

Yet we've come to expect loose Froch, trained by Birmingham's former British champion Rob McCraken, to roar back after a slow-ish start. Against another American, Jermain Taylor, he had to haul himself off the floor in the third before storming back and flatening the former undisputed middleweight king in the final stanza of their heart-stopping scrap in 2009.

Impressively-sculpted veteran Johnson, who has only been stopped by all-time great Bernard Hopkins in a 18-year, 68-fight career that has seen him swap leather with the cream of both the 168 and 175lbs divisions, didn't deck his opponent but ploughed forward (gloves pressed firmly against his temples) in the early stages - pumping, not to mention grunting, out a firm lead and accurate back hand.

And due to the familiar and lax nature of the 33-year-old's defence, hands low in order to whip his punches up through Johnson's guard in a Cobra-like fashion, his head was sent snapping back several times by solid right hands from a fired-up Jamaican who's ended 35 of his 51 wins early. 

Froch did seem rattled on occasions but is renowned for an iron chin, adjusted his game-plan by the half-way stage, and started to put his punches together nicely.

Though he never really asserted any real dominance over Johnson - too many single shots and too much time waiting for the Roy Jones Jr conquerer to make the first move in the first three-quarters of the bout - he found plenty of hurtful, ripping right-hand punches that convinced his opponent not to make more of an argument over matters as the bout progressed.

In the final two sessions the 'Road Warrior', who has been on the short thrift of several questionable decisions in his 15 losses, looked weary - having his legs stiffened by whipping right uppercuts as he continued to march in with his gloves, as ever, held high like ear muffs. 

And though Glen isn't afraid to be vocal if he feels he has been on the end of a bad decision, he didn't celebrate at the final bell or debate the verdict afterwards. A classy move from a classy boxer who is hard to look good against and proved that his career isn't at an end just yet.

"He can fight," said the magnanimous loser.

"It was very tough," admitted Froch, now 28-1 (20), whose only paid defeat was to a man who returned with an impressive six-round destruction in Denmark on the same night, Mikkel Kessler. "I hit him and nothing happened.

"I said beforehand it would be like hitting an old Oak tree and it was. He was definitely one of the toughest I've faced," paying coconut-skulled Johnson a well-deserved compliment. "But i was stuck in second gear for a lot of the fight, looking to pick him off, and i got caught with some silly shots. I was a bit cumbersome."

But it would be criminal not to mention the combined record of Froch's last seven opponents (Albert Rybacki; Jean Pascal; Jermain Taylor; Andre Dirrell; Mikkel Kessler; Arthur Abraham and Johnson), all of whom are (or were) world class: 206-19-3 (145). I can't think of any British fighter who has consistently competed at that level and won all but one, the defeat to Kessler being close.

Now on to 24-0 (13) Ward, 27, who hasn't lost since he was a 12-year-old amateur.

"He's a great fighter and a gentleman but i know exactly how to beat him," roared the ardent Nottingham Forest supporter.

Image courtesy of Tom Casino/Showtime.

Controversial title defeat for 'Sweet D'

Dee Mitchell's long-overdue shot at a belt ended in controversial defeat in Scotland last night (Friday, June 3).

In pro bout 24 - nine wins (two inside) and a draw in excellent company - the talented Birmingham switch-hitter came up short against undefeated local Kris Carslaw, 97-95 for referee Victor Loughlin, in a crack at the British Masters light-middleweight belt.

Yet many, including a large pocket of supporters at the biased and noisy surroundings of the Kelvin Hall in Glasgow, thought Mitchell, 34, had done enough to take the belt back home with him.

Solid-hitting southpaw Carslaw, now 14-0 (3) after a tense 30-minute fight in which his limitations were brought to the fore against a willing and durable opponent who came to win, wasn't allowed to use his physical advantages against a compact, stocky Erdington-based scrapper who bullied his way inside to do his work. 

Though the 26-year-old Paisley puncher's work improved, there is talk he struggled to make the 11st limit and can consider himself fortunate to keep hold of both his undefeated record and a title he was making the second defence of.

Mitchell's handler, ex-pro Jon Pegg, admitted that although his charge probably deserved the nod, he could and should have done more.

"To be honest, if it was in England Dee would probably have got it," said the well-respected trainer, promoter and manager. "But if he'd worked a little bit harder in each round it would have taken away any doubt out of the decision."

There were also defeats for other Midlands fighters on the Chris Gilmour-promoted show in Scotland.

Another Jon Pegg-handled Second City scrapper, heavy-handed and always-game light-middleweight dangerman Andrew Patterson, dropped a six-round decision to undefeated Paisley lefty Stevie Weir, four wins in as many outings. Unusually subdued, 'Patt' was never in any danger of being halted and is back out in Liverpool next weekend.

Nuneaton's slick 107-fight Kristian Laight conceded an 80-72 nod to unbeaten Eddie Doyle, 8-0 (1), and Mansfield-based Latvian Pavel Senkovs lost for the 35th time in 39 against Robert Wright, now 4-0 (1). Matt Scriven-trained Senkovs was decked twice in the opening round but gritted it out to last the course, only to lose 60-53 after a six-twos.

Froch and Johnson weigh-in news

Carl Froch comfortably made weight for his Super Six semi-final and WBC super-middleweight title defence in Atlantic City tonight (June 4).

The Nottingham puncher, who makes the first defence of his World Boxing Council strap in his second reign as champion against Miami-based Jamaican Glen Johnson at the Boardwalk Hall, tipped the scales at a lean-looking 11st 13lbs 8oz.

Veteran former IBF light-heavyweight world champion Johnson, nine years older at 42 and with a paid record of 51-14-2 (35), came in at a trim 11st 12lbs - his lowest weight for 11 years.

It will be interesting to see how closest football fan Johnson, at his advanced stage of his career and with a lot of wear-and-tear behind him, will cope with making super-middleweight after a decade competing seven pounds north at light-heavyweight. 

But ultra-confident Froch, 27-1 (20), has hardly had a smooth week. Although weight-making hasn't been an issue, the Rob McCraken-trained East Midlander spent a few hours in hospital on Thursday evening due to an ear problem that problem stems back to his epic fight with Jean Pascal in 2008, when his eardrum was perforated.

"It's not a problem now," said the die-hard Nottingham Forest supporter, who hopes to book his place with undefeated WBA champion Andre Ward in the Super Six final.

"I'm giving him [Roy Jones Jr and Antonio Tarver conquerer Johnson] the respect he deserves but there's only one winner," he added.

The pair are expected to be in the ring at 2.30am UK time.

Images courtesy of Tom Casino/Showtime.

Concepcion returns on Mitchell show

Many in the trade thought they'd seen the last of Martin Concepcion after he was battered to a two-round defeat in February.

The iron-fisted former British and Commonwealth title challenger from Leicester was dropped and stopped by unefeated Sergei Rabchenka - who beat common denominator,  ex-Commonwealth 11st boss Bradley Pryce, on points last month - on that night and the career that promised so much looked to have been brought to a brutal end.

But Concepcion, 17-9 (10), is back and looks to rebuild with a six-rounder on former European heavyweight title challenger Clifton Mitchell's ambitious eight-fight show at Whitwick's Hermitage Leisure Centre - about 15 miles outside of Leicester - on September 25.

Despite winning his first eleven fights as a paid fighter and getting a reputation as a can't-miss prospect, the 29-year-old has struggled since. He's gone 6-9, been knocked out in six of those reversals, and has lost his last two, albeit against two fighters (Rabchenka and then-British 11st champ Sam Webb) who had a combined record of 31-1.

The former Midland Area light-middleweight boss concedes his recent form has been patchy but hopes a few more wins etched onto his professional tab will get him into the position to challenge for top domestic honours once more.

"I've still got goals i want to achieve," said a man whose twin brother, middleweight Kevin, is also a pro.

Another Leicester puncher, super-middleweight Jahmaine Smyle, 4-2-1 (3), is on the bill along with undefeated Ryan Hookway, 3-0.

Macklin in confident mood after Sturm head-to-head

Matthew Macklin has promised the punch that has brought him 19 inside-the-distance wins will bring the WBA world middleweight title to Birmingham.

The hammer-fisted Second City scrapper, 29, challenges for his first world title on June 25, taking on long-standing champion Felix Sturm in Cologne.

The pair, who have a combined professional record of 63-4-1 (34), met at a press conference today (May 18) in Germany and though neither man had any words of disrespect for the other, both predicted the 12 rounds would not be required.

"For me, there is no doubt i'm going to be the winner," said the two-time European and one-time British middleweight champion, 28-2 (19), from Solihull, who addressed the media in near-perfect German.

"He is a great technician but my time is now and my punch will win me this fight and the WBA title."

Emerald Isle-rooted Macklin, who is being billed from Ireland on the fight poster, is right - Sturm is a quality technician.

The 32-year-old, 35-2-1 (15), has held versions of world titles (WBA and WBO) since 2003 and was seemingly and disgracefully robbed of the WBO version against all-time great Oscar De La Hoya in 2004. He rebounded and captured the version he's worn since 2006 with a 12-round taming of New Zealander Maselino Masoe.

Since then, he has made nine successful defences over two reigns, including beatings of future IBF monarch Sebastian Sylvester, Khoren Gevor and, last time out in February, Ronald Hearns - the son of the legendary 'Hitman' Thomas. Hearns was willing and tried but didn't make it through the seventh session.

Interestingly, though, Felix has been stopped (against light-punching Spaniard Javier Castillejo - later reversed on points) and been hurt and dropped on several occasions, meaning the Brummie's dynamite-laden fists and solid skills could cause problems at the Lanxess Arena.

But Sturm, whose last three stoppage victories have all arrived in the seventh, has dismissed the threat, boasting: "I'll batter him from the first bell.

"This will be a war, but one i will win by any means necessary. We have a plan A and B. Nothing he brings will change the outcome," he added.

Friday the 13 comes a day late for unlucky Gordon

Bad luck seems to be following Martin Gordon around.

The capable Brierley Hill welterweight has had an up-and-down pro career that, with a bit of luck, could have been so different. He's had no fewer than eight fights (including three single-point reversals) that could easily have been marked in his favour.

With those defeats still rankling, Gordon (pictured on the left) planned to take matters out of the referee's hands at the weekend (Saturday, May 14). Again, however, the third man in the ring conspired against a former top-rated Black Country welterweight who has twice come up short in cracks at British and International Masters titles.

That's because 24 seconds into a scheduled four-rounder against North Yorkshire's Matt Doyle, four wins in six entering, the fight was over.

The record books will show that Gordon - who has having his 14th outing as a paid performer, at York's Energise Sports Centre - was stopped in the opening round. But delve deeper into what actually happened and it's not as clear-cut as it would look at first glance.

Although the fight didn't last half a minute, the action was frenetic and action-packed. Within 10 seconds both had clashed heads and then Doyle, who was stitched up afterwards, had been forced to concede ground after shipping a brace of solid lefts from the fired-up visiting fighter.

Then came a moment that wasn't too dissimilar to when Bernard Hopkins met Robert Allen in 1998.

"I began the fight stronger," the 28-year-old West Midlander began," and hurt him with a double left hook early on. But it was soon after that he came up with his head, caught me near by my left ear and i slipped - falling through the ropes and onto the ringside table.

"To tell the truth, i was a bit dazed as i did hit my head quite hard but i probably could have fought on," a confused and angry Gordon candidly confessed a day after the set 12-minute bout. "But i thought Howard Foster, because i was cut as well and he's a good ref, would stop it and call it a technical draw or a No Contest.

"I couldn't believe it when he awarded the fight to Doyle and said that i'd been caught with a body shot that had forced me to drop. Rubbish."

It appears that Friday the 13 came a day late for the Shaun Cooper-trained trier, who needed five stitches above his left ear.

Errol Johnson, a well-respected trainer, matchmaker, manager and promoter, implored South Yorkshire's Foster - one of Britain's most respected and talented officials - to change the result but it fell on deaf ears, leaving Gordon to put his immediate career plans on hold to September at the earliest.

He said: "I've now got a 45-day suspension (mandatory for a cut) and that means i won't be able to fight against [Tom] Bowen on June 4 in Walsall. That's a huge disappointment for me.

"But then i want him [Doyle] again as soon as i can after the summer break. I haven't got a problem with him - and i beat his trainer, Glenn Banks, three times as an amateur - but i hurt him and know that i'd set the record straight next time."

And the honest scrapper rounded off by roaring: "I know a lot of boxers say this but i would fight him for free to get my revenge. I'll knock him out given the chance."

Mutley: "Gavin's getting knocked out"

West Brom puncher Young Mutley has turned up the heat ahead of his Birmingham v Black Country clash with Frankie Gavin.

The all-West Midlands 12-rounder forms part of a stellar undercard to Nathan Cleverley's attempt to win the WBO world light-heavyweight title from German knockout artist Juergen Braehmer at the o2 Arena, London, on May 21.

Undefeated super-middleweights James DeGale and George Groves also square off for the British 12st belt on the Frank Warren-promoted card, but it's iron-fisted Mutley (pictured with the British title) who wants to steal the show.

In order to do so he'll have to snap the nine-fight (eight via stoppage) unbeaten run of Birmingham's smooth-boxing, fleet-footed and fast-fisted Gavin, who holds the distinction of being Britain's only-ever World Amateur gold medalist.

And sharp Second City southpaw Gavin, 25 and a die-hard follower of Birmingham City, has yet to put a foot wrong as a professional, halting former Prizefighter welterweight champion Michael Lomax in seven rounds in his last bout, and challenges for the WBO Intercontinental welterweight belt that was stripped from Kell Brook earlier this month.

Although a former British champion at 10st 7lbs, Mutley - a capable, flat-footed, heavy-handed operator who can box and who has also challenged for the European light-welterweight title in an exciting career - starts as the underdog and has been out of the ring for 13 months, when he edged past African Patrick Bogere.

A loss (or at least a one-sided one) for Mutley, 29-5 (14), will probably spell the end of his 12-year paid career. However, at a press conference in West Bromwich yesterday (May 11), the 34-year-old Black Country puncher claims that it will be Gavin, trained by ex-pro Anthony Farnell, whose career will grind to a halt in London.

"Gavin won't know what's hit him," boasted a bull-strong scrapper whose pressure and left hook snapped the 28-fight unbeaten run of future world title challenger Michael Jennings to annex the British title in 2006.

"He's a good, talented young fighter who can go places but i know too much for him at this stage. It's come to soon for him and that will be there for everyone to see when we fight next week.

"He's getting knocked out," the Errol Johnson-handled West Bromwich Albion supporter coldly added.

All-Coventry title clash for Flinn in September

James Flinn may have missed out on the chance to be in the next installment of Prizefighter, but his consolation is an all-Coventry title clash with a former gym mate.

The undefeated Coventry stylist has been made a reserve for the next welterweight edition of the popular Prizefighter event and has looked the real deal since turning over in 2008, securing his first belt in the paid ranks with a landslide points decision over British Masters monarch Ben Lawler in March.

Flinn, boxing in nearby Bedworth, decked the defending champion in the opening three minutes before dominating the rest of the action to take a decisive 100-90 nod from Shaun Messer.

That took his professional ledger to 8-0-1 (2) and now will meet capable same-city southpaw Sean McKervey, 8-4-2 (1), at Bedworth Civic Hall on September 10 for the Midland Area 10st 7lbs belt

Although coming off back-to-back defeats, 27-year-old McKervey can be dangerous - and destroyed West Brom's Wayne Downing in three rounds to take the British Masters title last year, dropping him twice. He followed that up with more title success, a ten-round taming of Stourbridge upsetter Kevin McCauley to take the Area belt in December.

With titles-a-plenty in the city, Coventry boxing is basking in the same rude health it was at the turn of the millennium. 

As well as the said welterweight pair, the enigmatic Davies twins - unbeaten cruiserweight Rhys (boxing for the vacant Midland Area strap in June) and fast-handed super-middleweight Llewy - are also putting the city that produced the likes of Richie Evatt, Dean Pithie and Neil Simpson back on the boxing map.

But Flinn, 29 and a former top-rated amateur for Triumph ABC, is at the forefront of that revival and has doors opening for him.

If he can successfully see off the champion in September, the fast-footed, sharp-boxing stylist could find himself in positions for the EU, against Italian Luciano Abis (who beat Flinn's stablemate, Telford's Mark Lloyd, last month), or English, against Nottingham's talented if inactive Adnan Amar, crowns before the year reaches its end.

He said: "Errol [Johnson, manager] is trying to get me cracks at bigger titles if i keep getting the wins but I've got McKervey first.

"We've sparred before and, to be honest, i dominated him. But that's sparring. He showed me that he was fit and willing and I'll give him the respect he deserves in a real ten-round fight with a belt on the line.

"I'm not looking past this fight," continued the ambitious Coventry City supporter," but there are plenty of chances awaiting me if i do well - including potential contests for the English, Commonwealth and EU titles.

"But September 10 will be big for Coventry. That said, there will only be one winner and i'm going to knock him out."

Make-or-break month for hungry Gordon

Martin Gordon has vowed to learn from past mistakes in order to win his first belt as a professional fighter.

The always-willing Brierley Hill welterweight has two fights penciled in to his diary in a space of three weeks and knows two wins will secure him another crack at a belt he so desperately craves.

Firstly, Martin makes the long trip to York on Saturday (May 14) to swap leather over four rounds with local hardman Matt Doyle, four wins from six (one draw), and then, on June 4, crosses swords closer to home, at Walsall Town Hall, against fellow Black Country scrapper Tom Bowen, 1-1.

A brace of contests that could make or break capable Gordon's immediate career goals.

"I've been told he [Doyle] is a good kid who has only lost once as a pro," said the 28-year-old former Lions ABC club captain.

"But he was stopped inside a round in his last fight (an 84-second dismissal by touted Glen Foot) so i'm going to put it on him from the opening bell. I'm certainly fit enough to go at a fast pace and cause an upset in his back yard."

And despite suffering back-to-back title defeats - a controversial ten-round points setback to Rob Doody (British Masters) and a retirement loss to Richie Ghent (International Masters) - and being out of the ring for 11 months, Gordon's confidence is at an all-time high.

Intense training with undefeated ex-pro Shaun Cooper has given the 13-fight boxer renewed zest - feeling re-charged, hungry and intent on living up to the promise he showed as a 100-plus-bout unpaid performer.

"Everyone in the gym says i'm a different fighter since i returned to training after the few months off i had off following the Ghent loss," he said. "I'm nastier and hungrier-than-ever for in-ring success.

"I've got Tom Bowen at the start of next month and the way i'm feeling i should beat him with something to spare.  But it'll be a good scrap. Although he's easy to hit and slow, he has a big heart and he'll come to win so it'll be a good little Black Country fight.

"I'm 29 soon and I've been doing this since i was six, so will pack it in at 30 and go into coaching - giving something back to the sport that has given me so much.

"But i want another shot at a Masters title and, at my weight, that would mean meeting either   of the Coventry boys: [former Midland Area and British Masters boss Sean] McKervey or [current British Masters welterweight king James] Flinn.

"That said, the fight i really want is against [West Brom southpaw Wayne] Downing. He's beat me twice as a pro and, to be honest, he didn't win either of those. A third fight with him with a belt on the line would be massive for me and i could finally set the record straight.

"I've made a few mistakes in the past but I've learnt from them," he roared.

Froch's respect for 'Road Warrior' Johnson

Carl Froch has admitted he needs to chop down the sturdiest of trees if he's to reach the Super Six super-middleweight final.

The WBC 12st champion from Nottingham crosses swords with veteran former world light-heavyweight king Glen Johnson in Atlantic City on June 4 with the knowledge his Miami-based opponent has only been halted once in a 67-fight career.

Johnson, who once knocked out all-time great Roy Jones Jr and who also had three epic duels with Sheffield's Clinton Woods for world titles, is known as a sturdy, battle-hardened warrior who's not affraid to meet a man head-on or in his own back-yard.

But the Jamaican-born American gets home (well, country) advantage against Englishman Froch, 27-1 (20), who will be boxing away from Britain for the third time in as many outings.

None of this seems to faze the 33-year-old, however, and his mood has been lifted with news that the world title 12-rounder will be broadcast live on Sky Sports; the first time the East Midlander will have been on the channel since he stopped Robin Reid in his home city in November 2007.

Froch's out-of-the-ring business seems to be finally sorting itself out as he's also put pen to paper on a five-fight deal with Matchroom.

Now he can look forward to the prospect of a Super Six final showdown with undefeated WBA champion Andre Ward and then a massive home-coming in Nottingham, possibly at the City Ground (home of his beloved Nottingham Forest), afterwards.

By then, he could hold two of the four major titles at super-middleweight. But first, he must find his way past Johnson, 42 and 51-14-2 (35), who knocked out hammer-fisted Allen Green in November to book his place against Froch.

"Johnson is a very hard man," said the two-time world champion, who arguably put in a career-best showing to tame and soundly out-point Arthur Abraham last time out. "Hitting him will be like hitting an old oak tree.

"He is not going to move, even if i'm catching him with massive shots that would knock lesser men out.

"But i'm not going in there to show him how hard i can hit. He's been in with the likes of Bernard Hopkins, Roy Jones Jr, Antonio Tarver and Chad Dawson, and only Hopkins managed to stop him. That was in 1997 as well," reasoned Froch.

"I'm going to jab and move, hit him and not get caught - like i did against [former IBF champion Arthur] Abraham. Johnson tends to walk onto you and try and close you down.

"It is my job to box him and make the night's work as easy as possible."

Finnegan looking to erase memories of Dube disaster

Jonjo Finnegan has a chance to put things right in May.

The British Masters super-middleweight champion looked to have hit his peak as a fighter but was shockingly halted in five rounds by Derby's dangerous but  unheralded Elvis Dube last month.

The unscheduled setback, on a Pat Cowdell-promoted card in Birmingham, was Finnegan's first defeat in three years - and the popular Burton-on-Trent scrapper gets the opportunity to even the score when the pair meet for a second time on May 23, again in the Second City.

Shinfield-handled Dube's record may be patchy (a brace of wins in nine) but both his victories have arrived inside the distance and he always comes looking for a fight.

And he clawed his way back from being soundly out-boxed over the opening four rounds to drop the 30-year-old former Irish light-heavyweight title challenger with seconds remaining in the fifth of a set six.

Despite the always-brave Finnegan managing to find his to his feet, referee Sean Messer waived it off - handing the Errol Johnson-trained stylist his sixth defeat as a professional (13 wins, three draws).

The manner of the defeat clearly frustrates Jonjo, who was looking forward to topping a bumper bill in his hometown. He said: "It was a poor stoppage.

"I was clearly winning the fight - had won all the rounds leading up till the fifth - but got caught with a silly shot. That's boxing. But i was up at four, my head was clear and i was ready to carry on. 

"There was only a few seconds left so i should have been allowed to carry on," reasoned a popular Midlander who won the British Masters 12st strap with a grueling ten-round decision over a man he once drew with, Sheffield bin man Dean Walker.

"As soon as i left the ring i spoke to Errol and he's got me the only fight i wanted - a rematch with Dube, on May 23. He's the only person on my mind and this time i will set the record straight," roared the former Midland ABA champion."

Iron-fisted Smyle's 'Dynamite' test in Prizefighter

Big-punching Jahmaine Smyle has been handed the toughest-looking test in the opening round of the super-middleweight Prizefighter.

The Leicester banger, 24, meets ex-Commonwealth 12st title challenger Carl 'Dynamite' Dilks in the always-lively knockout tournament at Liverpool's Olympia on Wednesday (March 23), which also includes former WBC world champion Robin Reid and dangerous Steel City scrapper Patrick Maxwell.

Dilks, 14-3 (5), is probably best remembered for being taken out inside three minutes by James DeGale, the 2008 Olympic gold medalist and current British super-middleweight boss. But the Liverpudlian is better than that.

Capable enough to give Charles Adamu a 12-round argument for the Commonwealth title - and looking unlucky to lose - the 27-year-old is solid, can bang and boxed in the light-heavyweight version of Prizefighter in 2009, losing controversially to Darren Stubbs.

And Smyle, 3-1-1 (3), although heavy-handed and trained by Leicester's former WBO world middleweight king Chris Pyatt, can't boast that experience, and an inside-the-distance defeat to Wayne Reed (also in this competition) suggests he may well be a chin-or-be-chinned performer.

But the heavily-muscled East Midlander's raw power and ambition means he's likely to be dangerous over the nine-minute contests, even if - the DeGale stoppage aside - Dilks has displayed a firm set of whiskers.

Jahmaine sparred with DeGale for this and said: "I didn't land many on James but it's the best sparring out there and can only make me better.

"I've got as good a chance as any and i'll take it," added the Dean Powell-managed puncher.

Booth having to go to Spain for European title shot

Jason Booth won't believe it's happened again.

Nottingham's popular British and Commonwealth super-bantamweight champion had recently been put forward to box for the vacant European 8st 10lbs title, against hammer-fisted ex-monarch Kiko Martinez, and was set to secure home advantage.

But Booth, for the fourth time, will have to travel onto the Continent to try and secure a belt that has alluded him in a 15-year professional career.

Promoter Frank Maloney lost out in securing the purse bids in Rome, with the winning bid rumoured to be around 60,000 Euros. No date has been released as of yet.

Booth, who unsuccessfully boxed in Spain and twice in France for the Continental title in the past, knows the odds are stacked against him; Madrid-born Martinez has never been stopped, will be on home turf and carries the type of fight-ending power that worries the very best, even if Booth has never been stopped in a 42-fight career (36 wins, 15 early).

It appears to be a task of Everest-sized proportions, not that it appears to faze the charismatic East Midlander.

"It's not a problem," said the recent IBF world super-bantamweight title challenger, 33.

"Obviously I've been ripped off before when i fought for the European title [the three previous defeats in those attempts are said to be controversial] but i have the skills to do what Rendall [Munroe, Leicester's former EBU champion and a man who twice tamed Martinez] did.

"Nothing's come easy for me, both in life or inside the ropes. But this is a fight i will win," boasted the Tony Harris-trained box-fighter from Strelley.

Davies gets what he wanted - an early night

Rhys Davies was a happy man on Friday night.

The 27-year-old Coventry cruiserweight extended his unbeaten run to six (five wins and a draw) and recorded his first stoppage as a paid fighter, pummeling durable Verban Borisov to defeat in three rounds.

Davies is being maneuvered towards a crack at the Midland Area 14st belt (a title that has been vacant since Rugby's Carl Wright wore it in 2005) and a ferocious display of body punching knocked the resistance out of the sturdy Bulgarian, who'd only been halted quickly once in five entering, at a packed Bedworth Civic Hall.

A thumping right uppercut set about the end, with referee Rob Chalmers diving in as the 29-year-old Eastern European import slumped to the floor under an avalanche of punches from the self-styled 'Chocolate Warrior', whose twin brother, recent Prizefighter competitor Llewy, is recovering from an operation on his shoulder.

He'd predicted an early night before the contest and is now penciled in to return to action on May 23.

Afterwards, well-muscled, hammer-fisted Rhys said: "I told my mum before i would knock him out in the third. I didn't let her down."

Macklin handed WBA eliminator

Matthew Macklin's debut for Golden Boy Promotions will now take place in England - and be an eliminator for a world title.

The Birmingham puncher was set to take on American legend Ronald 'Winky' Wright in Las Vegas in April, until the former undisputed light-middleweight champion pulled out of the ten-rounder with injury.

Macklin, a former British champion and two-time European middleweight king, was devastated at losing the chance to shine in front of a big American audience.

But now the 28-year-old Second City stylist, 28-2 (19), finds himself on the undercard of Amir Khan's defence of his World Boxing Association light-welterweight title, against undefeated Irishman Paul McCloskey, at Manchester's MEN Arena on April 16.

In fact, Macklin's 12-round WBA title eliminator with German-based Armenian Khoren Gevor, himself a former European 11st 6lbs champion, could turn out to be a far trickier assignment.

Okay, so Wright is a modern day legend but was nearing 40, had suffered back-to-back defeats (albeit against another all-time great, Bernard Hopkins, and then-white-hot Paul Williams) and hadn't fought in two years.

In Gevor, 31-5 (16), the Brummie meets a willing, dangerous and solid 32-year-old who has unsuccessfully challenged three times for world titles in two weight divisions (close decision defeats to Felix Sturm and Dimitri Sartison (WBA super-middleweight), as well as a gruesome knockout to Arthur Abraham for the IBF strap).

The winner of the intriguing-looking 36-minute scrap could then meet German star Sturm, the skilled and measured WBA boss, later this year.

Maughan: Stamina the key

Terry Maughan believes better stamina will lead to better performances.

The 25-year-old Nottingham middleweight etched win four onto his six-fight (two defeats) paid tab (and his fourth win in five) with a shut-out four-round taming of durable Waddington trier Ryan Clark at the weekend (Saturday, March 12).

Maughan, trained by Tony Harris in his home city after starting his pro career with former WBC super-middleweight boss Richie Woodhall in Birmingham, dominated the action with a solid lead left - leaving Clark (who'd held unbeaten Myles Holder to a draw two weeks ago) to be soundly out-boxed in Sleaford.

But the three-time British kick-boxing champion from Sneinton confessed he needs to up his outside-the-gym training if he's to progress successfully over the championship distances of 30 and 36 minutes.

"I want to be in this game to win titles," said the Irish-rooted East Midlander. "So i'm going to have to make sure i have the engine to go the ten and 12-round distances.

"I always train hard but i'll need to increase the frequency and intensity of my hill runs to improve my stamina. No stone will be left unturned.

"But i was happy with it [his 40-36 victory over the battle-hardened 21-year-old from Lincolnshire]. He always comes to fight, but i was too sharp and showed him too much movement.

"Hopefully, i'll be fighting again soon. I'm on a roll and have big ambitions," he added.