It's a battle of wills for the Midlands title

It's approaching crunch time for the Black Country-based contestants as they prepare to touch gloves in Birmingham,

Rowley Regis' Jason Welborn defends his crown against Brummie Craig Cunningham, who lives in Oldbury, over a 10-round main event.

They headline a five-bout card staged by PJ Promotions at the re-named Play Football venue, formerly the Futsal International Arena, in the Hockley area of the second city.

Welborn comes back up to 154lbs for the contest, while Cunningham drops down from middleweight where he, too, is the Midlands champion.

They tipped the scales at the fight arena this afternoon, with Welborn actually coming in a touch heavier than the challenger. He was 11st 13lb 2oz to Cunningham's 11st 13lb dead.

The titlist is entering make-or-break territory as he looks to again, after two unsuccessful attempts to claim British honours, step up to a higher level.

But puncher Welborn, 30, is unbeaten in area championship combat and will claim a second belt outright, having already done so at welter, if he again retains.

He's been involved in five Midlands title fights and has scrubbed out four opponents by stoppage, with only Dudley's Ryan Aston ever lasting the distance with him.

Welborn said: "This is where I prove where I'm meant to be in boxing. I've lived and learned, but nothing changes my style.

"I'm not looking back at the past and I'm not thinking about the future, either. Those thoughts can wait until Sunday morning.

"This fight has kept me on my toes and has given me that little bit of fear you need to train hard. I know I've got to be 100 percent right to keep my title. I want to get up there and so does he.

"I've been a pro for 10 years and I'm still learning, even now. If I knew now what I knew, even three or four years ago, I'd be in another category.

"I've got to win and convincingly, then people will be bending over backwards for me again. I've got enough experience in big fight situations.

"I'm the best name he's fought and I wouldn't care if it was Mike Tyson in there with me. I'm ready for anything. He's got to bring something to the table that will get me out of my shell."

Laid-back Cunningham looked relaxed and comfortable at the weight, after fulfilling his promise to come down a division.

His only previous Midlands title defence, at middleweight against Aston in Dudley, was a Fight of the Year contender that will take some emulating.

Their battle of the southpaws was a shoot-out by the end of the sixth round, as both men traded wildly. Cunningham proved he can take and give a shot by knocking him out with a left hook.

The 28-year-old now takes part in his 17th pro contest having only ever lost once, in a three-round Prizefighter situation to Tom Doran. Welborn has 19 wins and five defeat from 24 paid contests.

Cunningham said: "I always made middleweight easy, so all I've had to do is be a bit more cautious about what I was eating and drinking.

"I don't worry about things and that's what helped last time. This is another step up for me, though, as his record is what people will look at.

"There's a lot on the line, I haven't boxed at the level he has but that's only because I haven't had the opportunity. After 15 wins, I already deserve a chance.

"I've been beaten the one time and I was coming back into that fight. If it had been over 10 rounds, it might have been a different story.

"I've known Jason for years and if he just comes forward looking to throw big bombs, that will be exactly what I'm expecting.

"If he's tries to box, I'll do what I do, be elusive and frustrate him into making a mistake. Either way, I'm going nowhere.

"I've seen him knock out stylists before, but who says I've got to run? I expect to get hit, at some point, and don't under-estimate my toughness. I proved against Ryan what I can do."

The chief support bout will see boxing's only professional poet, Matt Windle, settle a war of words in a flyweight six-rounder.

'Matt Man' - Birmingham's Young Poet Laureate in 2007 and 2008 - demanded Derby's Conar Blackshaw after his rival's coach, Jay Shinfield, called for the fight on Twitter.

A trio of four-rounders supplement that with another flyweight in Brad Foster, backed by 150 fans from his hometown of Lichfield, taking on durable Bulgarian Stefan Slavchev.

Midlands featherweight title challenger Paul Holt, a Birmingham-born southpaw has been paired with the game Joe Beeden.

Another Brummie and debutant Kane Baker, from Bartley Green, turns over on the show, taking on experienced hard-man Dan Carr.

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