On a revenge mission.
That is the assignment facing Michael Webster who has the chance to get his hands on the English heavyweight belt this weekend.
The South Bank fighter faces a re-match with Solomon Dacres at the Resort Worlds Arena in Birmingham.
Dacres, from nearby Warley, was scheduled to defend his title against David Adeleye only for the Londoner to pull out.
It meant Webster got a call to step in as substitute and coach Dennis Power is quietly confident he can avenge the majority decision defeat when the two undefeated heavies meet in Manchester last November (pictured above).
Many, not just fans of Webba, thought he got the rough end of the stick that night.
“We just want a fair crack at it,” Power told punch-lines. “He fancies it. Webba clipped him a couple of times in the last fight and he knows in this mind that he can hurt him.
“I fancied him last time, and thought he won, and fancy him again now.
“He has absolutely nothing to lose and he can go there and look to win it clearly.
“The last time he fought Solomon he had never gone past six rounds and while there were no concern around how fit he was, I think in the back of his mind he was worried about blowing up. “But he knows now doing 10 is no problem.
“We thought he won last time and so did a lot of people, including the likes of Carl Froch and Spencer Oliver.”
Sadly, on that November night, none of the judges went with Webster with margins of 96-93 and 96-94 with Kevin Parker marking it 95 apiece.
Now, he has the opportunity to put one over his rival, who has had the benefit of a long camp, unlike Michael.
“We’ve probably only had 10 days,” explained Power.
“When I heard Adeleye was injured I wondered if we might be offered it.
“Webba is always in the gym, so he’s fit and this is a great opportunity.”
Following his first career defeat to the unbeaten Dacres (8-0), Webster returned to the ring on home soil in April, when he outpointed Yury Bykautsou at Eston Leisure Centre.
The brave Belarus boxer absorbed considerable punishment over the six rounds, but it represented a good night’s work for the Middlesbrough fighter, who took his record to 10-1, with six of his wins coming early.
“He was a tough man,” added Dennis. “We got six good rounds in and Michael ended up hurting his hands beating him cup.
“It’s a struggle to get opponents to fight him, so this opportunity has come at a great time.”
Dacres v Webster is part of a huge fight night in Birmingham, where Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions stage ‘The Magnificent Seven’ show, featuring Nathamn Heaney v Brad Pauls for the British middleweight title.
Words: Roy Kelly
