What next for Tommy Ward?
One of Britain’s most gifted champions is facing a waiting game to discover his next move.
The 23-year-old Hartlepool talent had been scheduled to defend his British super-bantamweight title against Liverpool’s James ‘Jazza’ Dickens before the end of May.
When his promoter, Frank Warren, won the purse bids, the smart money was on the re-match of these top-notch 8st 10lb going ahead on May 19 at Elland Road, where BT Sport screen the Battle of Britain between Lee Selby and Leeds hero Josh Warrington.
But no announcement ever came, leading to the British Boxing Board of Control to say that Ward-Dickens 2 would be going out to new purse bids with the fight taking place before the end of August rather than the end of May.
“Following no date or venue being supplied by Promoter Frank Warren, the Stewards decided to put out the above contest to purse bids to be submitted in accordance with the Terms and Conditions attached to the Board’s Head Office by noon on Wednesday, 9th May 2018, the contest to take place by the end of August 2018,” read the BBBC’s statement.
Warren had promoted Ward’s original win over Dickens, at Leeds last May, plus his maiden defence, in Newcastle in November.
The promoter has that big show at Leeds United next month plus three inside four weeks in June, at the O2, Manchester Arena and Belfast’s Odyssey.
But Ward-Dickens has not made any of them.
Ward’s manager, Dave Garside, would be an obvious candidate to stage the fight with Houghton’s Rainton Meadows Arena or Hartlepool’s Borough Hall possible venues.
The delay in proceedings represents only an irritation to Team Ward.
Tommy is only 23, having built up an impressive 23-bout winning streak, a record which has earned a number four rating with the World Boxing Organization and top 20 spots with the IBF (13) and WBC (17).
The NE Security-sponsored boxer did fight in March, when he stopped Lesther Cantillano in five rounds at the Rainton Meadows Arena, while Jazza also boxed last month, halting Barney Arguelles, also in five, in Manchester.
Words: Roy Kelly
