ABA hopefuls box twice in 24 hours

Ricky Summers and Des Bowater will have to box twice in less than 24 hours to win a ABA Midlands title.

Priory Park ABC's Luke Paddock goes in to the Midlands finals on Sunday afternoon fresh, but is in with the formidable Sam Bowen at 63kg.

But Summers, from Lions ABC in Dudley, and Wodensborough ABC's Bowater must first box their semi-finals tomorrow night.

Summers faces Aston ABC's Broderick Murphy, with the winner to meet Impact ABC's Jamal Ledoux or South Normanton ABC's Ricky Pearce.

For Summers, back-to-back Midlands titles at 81kg in his second year in the competition will be his minimum aim.

The 24-year-old reached the national semi-finals this year and has twice been called up to the England squad, but pulled out through injury.

John Shakespeare, an ABA finalist in 1987, is in his corner tomorrow night with Bob Dillon, Team GB's high performance coach, on hand for the final.

Dillon said: "I hope we can get Ricky to win the ABAs, so they can have a look at him for things higher up.

"But Broderick has been a real good quality lad, in the past, he's had a couple of seasons off and come back.

"He's a clever lad who knows how to fiddle his way through and win, when he 's under a lot of pressure.

"If Ricky boxes as he can, he's going to be hard to beat. He's 6ft 2in with a lovely long reach and hits solidly with both hands.

"He's got to use that because Broderick is shorter but also strong and he's good at the mid-range stuff.

"It's going to be a battle of wits, the winner of the contest could be decided by who boxes at the correct range."

Bowater joins Summers in Lichfield tomorrow night, with a Burton ABC club show staging the two semi-finals.

The 20-year-old goes in with Cleary's ABC fighter Sean Greenfield, with the winner to meet Far Cotton ABC's Sukjeevan Brar.

Brar will go in at the Newdigate Colliery & District club in Bedworth completely fresh, after his camp rejected a request to delay the 60kg final.

Wodensborough ABC head coach Steve O'Rourke said: "The date can only be changed if all parties agree and his trainer didn't want to do it.

"If it was me, I would have agreed to it, because you never know when you might need a favour back down the line.

"This is what happens in amateur boxing, we just have to get on with it."

Paddock will he hoping to exact his revenge on the much-fancied Bowen, from Earl Shilton ABC, who beat him in the Midlands final last year.

Trainer Warren Davies believes the 21-year-old show too much respect to his opponent that day and has urged him to be "cuter" this time.

Davies said: "Luke is up against it, there's no doubt about it. Sam has beaten him before, so he won't be the favourite.

"He's a very good lad, numerous times national champion at junior level and last year was his first as a senior.

"But it could work to Luke's advantage as it appears a given Sam will go through, so he's got nothing to lose.

"The last time, Luke was a bit hesistant and showed him a bit too much respect, so we have been working on that.

"This time, we want him to be a bit cuter and take the bout to him, at times, and take him onto the back-foot.

"Sam is a front-foot fighter who likes to bully people, I am not sure he likes opponents with quick feet who box in bursts."