Express & Star

Martin Gethin's IBF title fight is switched

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Walsall's Martin Gethin will have to travel to London to take part in his world-ranked rumble with Carl Johanneson on Friday night.

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The fight, for a place in the IBF's top 50 and the organisation's International lightweight title, pits Gethin against Leeds' Johanneson.

But the contest will now take place at the Hilton Hotel in Mayfair on the same night, rather than the planned show at Walsall Town Hall.

Gethin's main sponsor withdrew their backing leaving the fight in jeopardy, before an offer come to stage the bout in the capital this week.

Promoter Frank Warren wanted the match for his dinner show and it could be broadcast by Warren's television channel, BoxNation. nnnn bnnnn nnn

However, the bill in Walsall will go ahead as planned without Gethin who will, nonetheless, be disappointed not to be boxing at home.

The main event will now feature Stourbridge's Steven Pearce, who steps up to six rounds for the first time against scrapper Billy Smith.

'Fierce' Pearce - a Midlands champion in the ABA Novices as an amateur - is building up a reputation as a body puncher at light welter.

Joining him is Stafford's Grant Cunningham with the undefeated middleweight pitted against Jamie Boness, who has five wins on his record.

Dudley's Dean Anderson is in action against Slovakian Elemir Rafael, with the exciting featherweight back on the rise after three fights unbeaten.

Brierley Hill's Kyle Spencer is a stable-mate of Pierce's at Shaun Cooper's gym, as the welterweight faces Trowbridge's Matt Vaughan in his third fight.

Completing the card is West Bromwich's Adam Corbett, an imposing and unbeaten light heavyweight who faces the slippery Jody Meikle.

For more information and tickets to the show, call the box office on 0845 111 2900.