Jason Welborn joins Civic boxing bill

Boxing returns to Wolverhampton Civic Hall on Friday September 28 with Midlands champion Jason Welborn set to tackle an international class opponent.

Rowley Regis' Welborn, the area welterweight title holder, faces a yet-to-be-confirmed foreign foe over 10 rounds after two defences of his belt.

Successive fifth-round stoppages at the Civic have made the 26-year-old a feared puncher and he will again look to demonstrate his power.

James Flinn was put away after being floored twice by body shots in his first title defence in March, with Scott Haywood later halted in the same round.

Haywood had his jaw broken from a right hook in June and failed to come out for the sixth round as Welborn moved to 11 wins from 10, with one loss.

Both of his challengers had boxed at English title level and Welborn is gradually making the step up to the national stage.

In chief support, Telford's Kieron Gray will be hoping to make it third time lucky after landing a second shot at the British Masters middleweight title.

But the 34-year-old faces a test against Sheffield's Jez Wilson, the Central area champion with nine wins on his record, five inside the distance.

Gray first contested the Midlands title against Coseley's Jamie Ball in December 2010 and got a draw, scoring a knockdown in the last round.

After a 14-month retirement, 'Slammer' returned to the ring and got his first shot at the Masters belt in April, away from home against Warren Tansey.

Tansey was decked in the fourth round but recovered to win on points in his hometown of Manchester, in a hotly-disputed 97-94 points call.

Confirmed for the undercard of the Civic bill is Tipton duo Lee Glover and Ricky Summers, along with Cannock's popular ticket-seller Dave Egan.

'Tipton Slasher' Glover has been out of the ring has been out of the ring for 10 months, since competing in the last featherweight Prizefighter.

Summers, a senior ABA national semi-finalist with Lions ABC in Dudley, turned pro with a polished performance against Jody Meikle in June.

Egan, the ex-Chasetown footballer, will move onto the Civic bill after boxing at the HMV Institute – formerly Digbeth Civic Hall - on September 8.

The 29-year-old welterweight brings a solid fan base with him, having sold the best part of 200 tickets for each of his two pro victories so far.

For more information and tickets to the Civic show, call the box office on 0870 320 7000.