Midlands champion Christopher Keane is back
Midlands cruiserweight champion Christopher Keane will be back in action with a six-rounder at the top of the bill on a show in Birmingham next month.
Walsall's Keane has been pencilled in to box at the Institute in Digbeth on Friday April 26 in the main event, against a yet-to-be-specified opponent.
The 27-year-old ripped the area belt from Shane McPhilbin in January and floored the former British champion three times before a third round stoppage.
However, the softly-spoken slugger is keeping his feet on the ground and wants rounds under his belt from his next ring assignment, despite a wide-open title race.
David Dolan lost a third shot at the British crown against Jon-Lewis Dickinson last month, while English champion China Clarke defends against Matty Askin on April 20.
But Keane is content to wait for the chance to add to another bona-fide national title to the 2009 ABA super heavyweight honours he won as an amateur.
He said: "I am in boxing to become a champion and, hopefully, there will be bigger and better things for me from now on. Everyone has to have their day and mine will come.
"I don't get bothered about recognition and the politics of boxing, it would just get me down. All I can do is train hard, keep on fighting and keep on winning.
"I do my job, that's what I get paid for. But I won't duck and dive, I will fight anybody."
McPhilbin had beaten Keane on points as an amateur but was blown away in a pro rematch, by a man who is growing into power with three stoppages in his last four fights.
Keane said: "I knew I was going to beat him, but the style I did it in shocked everyone, I think. But it's all on the night, it was my night and I managed to knock him out.
"Shane can box better than that, but I got to him and got the win."
