'Cool Hand' would gamble on a Gethin bout
Luke Paddock is disappointed he won't co-star alongside Martin Gethin tomorrow night - but he's more interested in sharing a ring with him.
Talk as raged about the two locking horns in a light welterweight 'Battle of Walsall' since the start of last year, writes Craig Birch.
The two were both set for action on the Saturday fight night at Walsall Town Hall, but Gethin's withdrawal with a pulled chest muscle gives him a watching brief.
Walsall's former English and British lightweight champion will instead look on from ringside as Bloxwich's Paddock takes top billing.
Paddock will tackle Gethin's original opponent, busy scrapper 'Fonz' Alexander Anderson, in a six-rounder with Rhys Saunders standing down.
And the ex-Midlands titlist at 140lb is keen to give 'the Quiet Man' something to talk about with a faultless performance. Paddock, 24, doesn't want the opportunity to slip away.
He said: "I think it would be a cracking fight. I'd be well up for it and I'm sure Martin will be too. I want it and I think Walsall deserves it.
"It's a shame he's been ruled out, but he can see me in action and at close quarters. I expect him to be ringside and I'll be putting on a performance for him and all my fans.
"If it doesn't happen then in years to come people will ask 'why didn't you two get it on?' I believe it should happen. Win or lose, Walsall would be the winner.
"I'd train exceptionally hard for that, because I know Martin's a great fighter and a big name to have on my record.
"I'd train like an animal. Regardless of whether it was for a title, I want it. I think it's a huge fight."
Gethin, Lennox Clarke and Des Bowater were all scheduled for action over six and pulled out, so six four-rounders will supplement the main event.
Midlands light middleweight champion and two-time British title challenger Jason Welborn moves into chief support, taking on 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 will go toe-to-toe at middleweight with the naturally-bigger Luke Allon, looking to make it six of the best and unblemished in the pro ranks.
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 Academy alongside his new calling. Williams turns over at bantam against Anwar Alfadli.
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 Lithuanian roadblock Deividas Sajauka, who has never failed to see the distance in 25 contests.
Burton's Leon Gower completes the card at featherweight in the opening bout, going up against the durable spoiler Qasim Hussain.
Tickets, priced at £30 and £60 ringside, are still on sale from the Town Hall Box Office on 0845 111 2900 and will be available on the door.
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.
