Ryan Aston promises Civic value for money

Dudley's Ryan Aston is hoping to give fight fans their money's worth when he tops a pro bill for the first time at Wolverhampton Civic Hall next month.

The 22-year-old also has the chance to win his first paid title, the International Masters middleweight crown, against Portuguese-born Spaniard Yuri Pompilio.

They clash in a 10-round main event on Saturday July 6 in what Aston will hope is a form of retribution, after losing his first title shot in two rounds last year.

A rematch with his nemesis for the Midlands belt that night, Nottingham's Curtis Valentine, is another target but Aston claims he's "gone missing from the gym."

'Tank' will instead battle international opposition over a title distance and he's hoping for a long night, to get vital ring time under his belt ahead of bigger challenges.

He said: "It's great that it's a title but just to go the 10 rounds would be useful for me, then I can move onto bigger and better belts in the future.

"We are training to go the distance, we train for 15 rounds, actually, so we can put 10 rounds of hard graft in if needs be come fight night.

"He's a natural light middleweight, so he's having to come up a bit to fight me, but he's durable and a dangly switch-hitter who comes at angles.

"I need to cut the ring off, track him down and cut him into the corners when possible, then let my shots go when I have him pinned down."

Headlining at the Civic means a lot to the former Priory Park ABC amateur, a regular spectator at the venue's boxing bills over the last few years.

He's competed at the venue once and did so in style, taking out Telford's Kieron Gray in less than a round on the Prizefighter bill in February 2011.

Aston said: "It will be my hometown crowd at the Civic and it's nice to get everybody involved and behind me, particularly as it's on my own doorstep.

"It's a great venue, I have always said it and I wanted to be there boxing at least once this year. What a time to have it - for a title."

For more information and tickets, call the Civic box office on 0870 320 7000 or promoter Paul 'PJ' Rowson on 07976 283 157.