Macca officially vacates English title

Dudley star middleweight Darren McDermott is no longer the English champion after officially vacating the title to move up a weight class.

'The Black Country Bodysnatcher' has handed in the belt to British Boxing Board of Control officials, who will decide the fate of the crown in due course.

His hand was forced after the board ordered the champion to defend against Prizefighter winner Martin Murray, with the deadline for purse bids for the prospective fight passing last week.

McDermott first voiced his intention to step up to super middle after feeling laboured getting down to 11st 6lb for his one defence of the belt, a points win over Danny Butler last November.

A shot at British champion Paul Smith is the long-term target, but 'Macca' will take at least one warm-up fight at the weight before putting himself forward.

But, after watching ringside last Friday night at Liverpool's Echo Arena as Paul Smith outpointed Tony Dodson in a bloody defence of the Lonsdale crown, the 31-year-old is confident of success in the land of the bigger men.

He said: "I feel I will do well at super middle, I am 6ft 2ins tall and could carry the weight easily. Watching Smith and Dodson fight for the title, I don't think I would have a problem with either of them.

"I didn't want to give up my belt, but it was a stepping stone and there are bigger things out there for me. I probably could still make the weight, but it's how much it's going to take out of me.

"In my last two fights I have been strong in sparring until the fortnight before, but it's the last few pounds that I had to shift that make all the difference and I felt that my snap had gone a little bit."