ASKIN GUNNING FOR DICKINSON RETURN

MATTY ASKIN believes he is on collision course with British cruiserweight champion Jon-Lewis Dickinson after he won the English title by beating China Clarke on Saturday night.

The Blackpool ace took a while to get warmed up in front of his home support at the Winter Gardens before finding his range, dropping Clarke in the seventh and collecting a wide unanimous decision.

It was a victory that puts Askin's career back on track. Last year he lost over ten rounds to Dickinson and has been gunning for a return ever since.

"It's a fantastic feeling to become the English champion. I'm very proud to win another title for Blackpool," Askin, 24, said.

"The board have nominated Chris Keane as my first opponent for the title so that's what I'm looking at next, but I'd love to have a rematch with Jon-Lewis Dickinson for the British title.

"I understand he's got to face Neil Dawson as his mandatory, but winning the English has put me a step closer to the fight I want more than any other.

"Hopefully, the fight with Keane will be made as a final eliminator so if I win that I'll be guaranteed a British title shot."

Askin stopped the aforementioned Dawson inside six rounds in March 2011.

However, he has no problem with his old foe jumping ahead of him in the domestic pecking order.

"I've already beaten Dawson, but I can understand why he's next in line. I lost my last fight before I fought China and he beat Tony Conquest," Matty stated.

"That said, I'll have another fight with Dawson at any time. If he beats Dickinson we can get it on again."

WBO World Light-Heavyweight Champion Nathan Cleverly says his speed and workrate would be too much for American legend Bernard Hopkins if they met.

After his sensational win against mandatory challenger Robin Krasiniqi last Saturday night at Wembley Arena to make the fifth defence of his title, Cleverly’s promoter Frank Warren will be speaking to Golden Boy Promotions’ Richard Schaefer who promotes IBF king Hopkins to make the big unification showdown.

The Welsh wizard set a blistering pace against his German challenger, winning all but one round on the judges’ scorecards, throwing over 1000 punches over the twelve rounds and landing 319, in comparison to Krasniqi who threw 381 and landed 92.  Cleverly’s jab was put to full effect, landing 108 out of 613 and out of the 434 power punches thrown, he landed with 211.

Cleverly, 26, believes his youth and pace would topple Hopkins, 48, who recently upset the odds by dethroning Tavoris Cloud to break his own record to become boxing’s oldest ever world champion.  He makes the first defence of the IBF title against previous Cleverly victim Karo Murat in July and a unification showdown with Cleverly could happen later this year after the Cefn Fforest fighter makes another mandatory defence against Juergen Braehmer.

Cleverly said, “I showed another side to my game against Krasniqi, I showed that I could box intelligently, not get reckless against a dangerous challenger and made it look easy.  He was very tough and maybe I would have liked to have knocked him out, but it was a great work-out and I showed the pace I can set for twelve rounds at the highest level,”

“Hopkins is a great great fighter and against him I’ll have to take my game to another level.  His experience is unmatchable and technically he’s superb, but I think my youth, pace and aggression will be too much for him. I’d force him to fight every second of every round and not give him an inch or second to think.”

Midlands Area Cruiserweight Champion, Chris Keane (9-0) tops the It’s-A-Bout-Boxing Promotions show, taking on unbeaten Hungarian, Tamas Toth (4-0-1).

Erdington Light-Welterweight, Chris Truman (8-4-1), takes on South African, Bheki Moyo (0-51-2) and Tamworth’s Matt Seawright (3-73-5) is back in action against Czech scrapper, Vaclav Skromach (1-9-0).

Smethwick-based Disney Huni will make his professional debut when he steps in with experienced Bulgarian Danny Dontchev (4-53-0).

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