Martin Gethin solves a long-standing problem
Walsall's Martin Gethin has finally got to the bottom of an ear problem that has plagued his career in recent years.
The former British lightweight champion has suffered a perforated ear drum three times in the ring and the last really cost him,
'The Quiet Man' has't boxed since competing on a Matchroom show, live on Sky Sports, 12 months ago against Tommy Coyle.
Gethin dropped Coyle, who was saved by the bell, with a left hook in the second round but retired at the end of the fifth, when the issue flared up again.
But doctors has discovered it was due to an old grommet left in his ear as a child and, after treatment, he's hoping to have seen the last of the injury.
Now the 32-year-old is looking to make up for lost time and get back towards challenging for major titles, starting with a run out at Walsall Town Hall next Saturday night.
A six-rounder against busy scrapper 'Fonz' Alexander Anderson will get him up and running again and Gethin agrees there's no time to waste.
He said: "It's been frustrating and it's cost me a few years in my career. To be honest, it's about getting back in that ring, testing out the ear and making sure it's properly sorted.
"Then I haven't got to worry about it when I get into bigger fights. Depending on how things go, I'll find out if I'm coming to the end of my career or carrying on.
"I want to go for the British title and I'd like an eliminator in my following fight, if possible.
"I was struggling a bit to make lightweight, so that extra few pounds will allow me to concentrate more on tactics and technique in training, rather than just shifting weight."
Eight other bouts comprise the Town Hall show, with Bloxwich's Luke Paddock topping the bill in another clash over against Rhys Saunders.
Halesowen's Lennox Clarke is involved in the evening's third six-rounder at super middleweight, taking on Swindon's former Southern and IBF Inter-Continental champion Kelvin Young.
Midlands light middleweight champion and two-time British title challenger Jason Welborn features among the four-round affairs against the never-stopped Adam Jones.
Rowley Regis' Welborn gets a tune-up bout under his belt, after courageously taking three-time world title contender Matthew Macklin the distance last October.
West Bromwich's Tom Stokes has seen his middleweight outing with Stoke's scrapper Mark Till resurrected, having pulled out of December's match with a cut from sparring.
Sid Bowater also gets himself up and running with a welterweight four-rounder against Brummie Dwayne Sheldon, in second pro outings for both.
Two debutants will switch sports from kickboxing elsewhere in the line-up, too, with both having been to the top table in martial arts.
Wolverhampton's Kyle Williams, from Whitmore Reans, was an ICO world featherweight champion fighting out of the city's centre Eclipse gym.
The 24-year-old will continue to teach at Fran Zuccala's Kickboxing and Gracie Jiu Jitsu club alongside his new calling. Williams will turn over at bantam.
Newark's Chad Sugden, 21, held the ISKA world middleweight crown and remains the youngest to ever win a belt from that organisation.
Sugden starts out by lacing on the boxing gloves against Telford's Kieron Gray, with Burton's Leon Gower completes the card at featherweight.
Tickets, priced at £30 and £60 ringside, are on sale from the Town Hall Box Office on 0845 111 2900.
Sponsors Grosvenor Casino Walsall, Bentley Mill Way, will host the weigh-in and after-show party. A number of free taxis from Yellow Taxis will at the Town Hall to go to the casino.
