Manny Zaber is 'the endurance man'
Sandwell's Manny Zaber is keen to show how he's in it for the long haul when he steps through the ropes at Walsall Town Hall on Friday night.
The 21-year-old has reeled off a hat-trick of points victories without dropping a round since making his pro debut last year,
Now the lightweight from Old Hill will take on former English title challenger Liam Richards looking to make it a quartet of victories.
Zaber has spent much of his training camp with Halesowen's Lennox Clarke, who tops the bill in an eight-round British Challenge super middleweight title fight against Richard Horton.
They are regular running partners around the Sandwell area and Zaber admits his race rival regularly peels off to go ahead - but warns it's a marathon and not a sprint!
He said: "Lennox and I train together and we're always pushing each other in the gym and on our runs.
"There's a good amount of healthy competition between us. I admit he's the faster sprinter but, near the end of our runs, I catch up. I'm the endurance man and he's the sprinter.
"Len is headlining the show and it'll be good to be on the same bill."
Zaber started out on the unlicensed circuit and is happy with the progress he's made so far honing his skills in the pros.
He added: "I got three quick fights in over the second half of 2015 which was decent. I'm pleased to be fighting early in the year so I can set up a busy 2016 of fighting - and winning - regularly."
Clarke's battle for the belt comes against a three-time contender to Southern area honours, as he looks to plot a path back towards Midlands middleweight champion Craig Cunningham.
The bill, promoted by Errol Johnson's Black Country Boxing and boxing legend Ricky Hatton, is titled 'Undefeated' with seven unbeaten fighters, including Zaber and Clarke, in the home corner.
Former two-weight world champion Hatton will lead Wednesbury's Sam Evans, Reuben Arrowsmith and Nathan Gorman into battle.
Light welter puncher Evans (one TKO) takes on William Warburton looking to make it a hat-trick of pro wins, while light middle Arrowsmith (3-0-0) goes up against Sam Wall.
Gorman eyes his second paid success against Jakub Wojcik while fellow heavyweight Matt Gordon, from West Bromwich, hopes to make it three out of three against Lukas Horak.
Stoke's Kieron McLaren (6-0-0) completes the card at light welter against the capable 'Fonz' Alexander Anderson in a six-rounder. The rest, apart from Clarke, are over four.
Tickets, priced at £30 and £60 ringside, are still on sale and can be bought from the Town Hall Box Office on 0845 111 2900. There will be some available on the door.
