It's make-or-break time for Jason Welborn

Rowley Regis' Welborn defends his super welter crown on his opponent Craig Cunningham's turf in Birmingham next month,

The two clash in a 10-rounder at the Futsal International Arena in the Hockley area of the second city on Saturday July 16, headlining PJ Promotions' bill titled 'The Reckoning.'

Cunningham is a proud Brummie, but now lives in Oldbury. He drops down to again challenge for an area title, after a Fight of the Year contender with Dudley's Ryan Aston.

Their tear-up for Midlands middleweight honours at Dudley Town Hall on May 21 reached a thrilling climax, with two seconds left of the sixth round.

Defending champion Cunningham knocked out Aston with both men wildly trading and now chases the chance to become a two-weight area boss.

Puncher Welborn will keep the 11st strap outright - as he has also done at welter - if he can successfully put up the belt for a second time.

The 30-year-old has twice challenged for British titles and yearns for a route back to national contention, which is unlikely if he loses again and that could spell the end.

Cunningham is a capable southpaw so Welborn has enlisted the help of nemesis Frankie Gavin, a top left-hander who beat him in 2013 on his way to winning a Lonsdale belt, for sparring.

Welborn said: "I've fought a lot of southpaws and now I've got another one. If he wants to come into the trenches with me, he's more than welcome.

"I don't think he's daft enough to do that, he might have caught Ryan but I've got a good chin. No one has ever knocked me out, I've only been down from body shots.

"If he beats me, I'll shake his hand and I'll probably pack boxing in. I can't see me losing, I'm telling myself that mentally.

"I want another Midlands belt outright to get me back to where I need to be, I want the big fights again. I know there's more in me than at area level.

"It's in my blood to be a fighter and he'll have to match the heart and aggression that I'm going to bring to that ring.

"If I'm 100 per cent, you can put any super welterweight in the country in front of me and I'll take some beating.

"It's going to be great, we are both training hard and I know that he wants this. I'm also aware how much I need a result."

Welborn will benefit from training full-time thanks to his sponsors Daneways Surfacing & Construction Contractors, of Peartree Lane in Dudley.

Daneways' operations director Dean Hiscox boxed professionally himself, featuring 12 times as a welterweight from 1988 to 1993. Welborn now works for the firm.

He said: "I've had some hard days work there over the last two years and Dean has really helped me out with my boxing career. It's been a big help.

"He knows what the sport is about and the likes of him, Ronnie Brown (former coach) and Shaun Cooper (ex-fighter) are all from Dudley and were involved with boxing back in the day.

"They know that, after a day's graft, you might not be at your best but, that said, I was winning Midlands titles even doing that."

Welborn is coming back up a weight after a drop back down to welter backfired when he was outpointed by William Warburton, for only the journeyman's 19th victory from 123 pro bouts.

He said: "I was working with Kell Brook's dietician to come down a weight and was going up to Sheffield to spar Kell (IBF world champion).

"He got me to welter and, at first, I felt as strong as a bull. When we tried to maintain it, I just felt flat and, when I fought Warburton, my heart just wasn't in it.

"It was trial and error, he beat me but I actually think it was a god send. My main thing is my strength and it doesn't work without adrenaline."

Other losses have come by TKO in 2006 to Tyan Booth, to Gavin in seven and to now world champion Liam Smith in six for the British crown at light middle two years ago.

He was also beaten on points by former British, Commonwealth and European champion Matthew Macklin last October, but won plaudits for a heroic performance as the under-dog.

That came hot on the heels of a points win over Aston at Wolverhampton Civic Hall four months earlier in another cracker, where he climbed off the floor in the fifth round.

He has never lost a Midlands title fight and has been involved in five, with only Aston ever lasting the distance. Welborn has 19 victories, with seven stoppages, having turned pro aged just 19.

He said: "I've been taught the pro game from a young age and I think that's helped me to adapt so well. What makes you into a championship fighter is when things go wrong.

"I got cut against Ryan in the fourth and, the next thing you know, I've took a hard shot to the solar plexus. I took the count and he thought he had me.

"That's where his lack of experience come into play and he was hitting me with everything he had. When he went back to the corner, he had nothing left.

"I was still in his face, all the way through it, and that's the difference between a challenger and a champion. I go in there to mean business."

Welborn's Black Country cohort Ricky Summers, from Tipton, will serve in the chief support bout, while Cunningham's stable-mates Carl Dickens and Kelcie Ball also feature on the under-card.

Boxing's only professional poet Matt 'Man' Windle appears, as does fellow flyweight Brad Foster. Midlands title contender Paul Holt and debutant Kane Baker complete the bill.

Tickets for the event are on sale now, priced at £35 and £50 ringside. Some VIP passes are available at £60. For more information, call promoter Paul 'PJ' Rowson on 07976 283 157.