Bringing professional championship glory to Middlesbrough.
That is the aim of Michael Webster who challenges Solomon Dacres for his English heavyweight title in Manchester.
The unbeaten heavies collide in what is surely a fight-of-the-night contender at the AO Arena on a jam-packed Frank Warren-promoted event on Saturday night.
Of course, Darlington’s incredible light-middleweight ‘Trojan’, Troy Williamson, has already brought success to Teesside fighting out of the Phil Thomas School of Boxing gym, under the coaching of Craig Carney.
But, should Webba upset the odds on the TNT Sports-screened show then there will be a champion from a TS postcode to salute. The first in 14 years since Paul Truscott was the Commonwealth lightweight champion.
Coach Denis Power will be in the 28-year-old’s corner as he has been throughout his career and told punch-lines that the South Bank team are not lacking belief.
“We’re not going there for second place,” he said. “We’re in a confident frame of mind.
“It’s a decent 50-50 fight to be honest.
”We’ve taken it at short notice, but it’s a win-win situation in my view.
“Michael only fought a couple of Saturdays ago and he’s always in shape.
“We’ve got to turn up and perform but we are confident.”
That confidence will be important.
It is a tough ask.
Dacres is the champion and will be boxing out of the home corner, often worth a round or two’s start. He’s also 6ft 5in and not short of skills as well as height and reach.
He used those factors when he won the vacant belt with a career-best result in Newcastle back in March, when he stopped Whickham’s previously unbeaten Rob Ismay just inside the last minute of round two.
A huge right wobbled Isy, who tried to hold on but a right-left and then another left hook saw referee Ron Kearney step in.
Ismay was bitterly disappointed, he was in the process of delivering a right hand in the split-second the ref moved in, but you would have to say Dacres looked good in his sixth straight win.
The ex-GB Boxing star followed that up with a 10-round points victory over South African Chris Thompson in Birmingham in August before his switch from Matchroom to Queensberry.
While there is no doubting Ismay is a hard lad who can punch a bit himself, he conceded considerable height and reach but Saturday will be different.
Webster is 6ft 6in and will weigh in around 17st 10lbs – three stone heavier than his days when he was a cruiserweight prospect.
If Team Dacres think they are taking on a blown-up cruiser they might well be in for a shock.
“How he made cruiser when you see how string he looks now I’ll never know,” added Power.
“Michael is physically strong, he won’t get shoved around.
“He can fight inside too, he’s a good body puncher.
“Michael is fit, he’s never out of the gym, and he has the tools to be the champion.”
The title rivals do similar numbers in terms of wins, Webster is at 9-0 while the champion’s fight log is 7-0, but there is a big difference on the stoppage front, ‘Webba’ has six wins early, including four in the first round. His opponent, from Warley, has halted three.
Admittedly, the men Webster have blown away have been a couple of stone lighter than Dacres, but the South Bank boxer can hit and that makes this such a fascinating confrontation.
We can’t wait for Saturday night.
Words: Roy Kelly Picture: Mark Robinson/ Matchroom Boxing
