Luke Paddock will be a boxer at the Civic
Bloxwich's Luke Paddock has been told to box his way to the top after becoming the latest pro to emerge from Priory Park ABC in Dudley.
Paddock becomes the fourth active paid fighter to be based at the gym when he steps through the ropes at Wolverhampton Civic Hall next Friday night.
The 20-year-old light welterweight reached a Clubs for Young People national final as an amateur, but had to pull out of the bout with a groin injury.
After he punches for pay at the Civic, his unpaid Priory Park colleagues will stage their latest club show at Baggeridge Social Club next Sunday afternoon.
Dan Carr was lined up for Paddock's pro bow but was cut above the right eye fighting Martin Ward on the Carl Froch bill in Nottingham last weekend.
But, whoever is in the other corner, Paddock's trainer Paul Gough will be telling his charge to stick to his skills and not get dragged into the trenches.
Gough said: "Luke has wanted to try the pro game for a while now and we all think the world of him, he's a likeable character.
"Guided right, I think he will do alright and I will be looking to keep him busy. He's a skilful boxer with a good work ethic.
"He will be looking to box people. I don't want him to get in there and mix it up with people, that's not his style."
Walsall's Christopher Keane has joined Paddock on the Civic bill and will engage in a cruiserweight six-rounder against Moses Matovu.
The 2009 senior ABA super heavyweight champion, 26, has won all seven of his contests, three by stoppage, since turning pro in 2009.
Ugandan-born Matovu, 36, is based in Northern Ireland and comes into the country with four wins and three draws on his record.
In the main event, the stakes are high for Rowley Regis' Jason Welborn when he tackles Hungarian visitor Janos Balogh over 10 rounds.
The Midlands welterweight champion could be in line for the first shot at Frankie Gavin's British title if he impresses.
Gavin's fellow Brummie, talented light middleweight Thomas Costello, supports the headline fight against Raimonds Sniedze over six rounds.
Redditch's Andrew Robinson, a graduate of Lions ABC in Dudley, is also in action against Trowbridge's Dan Phelps.
For more information and tickets, call the Civic box office on 0870 320 7000 or promoter Paul 'PJ' Rowson on 07976 283 157.
