Ryan Aston faces new foe for Civic title test

Dudley's Ryan Aston steps up to championship level at Wolverhampton Civic Hall on Saturday with a new foe to contend with on fight night.

Spaniard Yuri Pompilio has been replaced by Hungarian Norbert Szekeres in the 10-round battle for the vacant International Masters middleweight title.

Szekeres is only 26 but has 41 fights of paid experience and boxed at the Civic against Thomas Costello last year, where he was counted out from a body shot in the third round.

But Szekeres has since gone the distance with ex-European champion and WBA world title fighter Grzegorz Proksa and five rounds with another challenger to the EBU crown, Domenico Spada.

The international visitor brings more ring guile to the table then Aston's scheduled opponent, but 'Tank' admits the fight he really wants is a rematch with Curtis Valentine.

Valentine ended Aston's unbeaten record last July with a two-round stoppage for the vacant Midlands belt and the Black Country prospect said: "I really want the rematch.

"We have asked for it, but he's not in the gym."

Aston admits that loss led to a rethink. As an amateur, he won four national titles and was part of the Great Britain Development squad.

The 22-year-old trained alongside Frank Buglioni, Callum Smith and Anthony Ogogo and told of how the loss to Valentine has led to him going back to basics.

Aston said: "I have got back to my boxing instead of looking for the KO punch all the time.

"Boxing is what got me places in the amateurs and I have gone back to that. I've had lots of good sparring and I'm feeling sharp."

Aston has rebuilt since that setback with a technical draw against tricky southpaw Tyan Booth and back-to-back points wins over Kirill Psonko and Gilson de Jesus.

The domestic middleweight ratings is packed with talent. At the top are Martin Murray, Matthew Macklin and Darren Barker and Aston is among the division's rising stars.

He said: "It's great that there are so many good middleweights out there. If you get to the top you have earned it. There are a lot of big fights out there for me."

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