Martin Gethin v Luke Paddock on the cards?

Calls will increase for a battle of Walsall between Martin Gethin and Luke Paddock for the Midlands light welterweight title after the weekend's action.

Paddock's impressive points win over Josh McLaren on Saturday night, for the vacant area crown, makes him the region's boss at the weight,

writes Craig Birch.

Meanwhile, former British lightweight champion Gethin was getting back to winning ways in his debut up at 10st, with a technical stoppage of stable-mate Kevin McCauley.

Both would be intrigued by facing the other, with Bloxwich's Paddock after a scalp and Walsall's Gethin eyeing up his British Boxing Board of Control recognised crown.

'The Quiet Man' held the Midlands title at lightweight in 2007, going on to win English and British straps and boxing a final eliminator for the IBF world title.

His six-round bloodbath with former Midlands welter champion McCauley, who battled on from the first with a cut caused by an accidental clash of heads, had to be abandoned in the fifth.

The scores went to the cards, as the bout had gone past four, where Gethin was a round up by 49-48 and declared the winner. The fight took place at the Hilton Hotel in Coventry.

The next test - Bloxwich's Luke Paddock is the new Midlands champion and could be on Martin Gethin's radar.

Trainer Errol Johnson said: "I think the cut affected Martin's performance a bit, as he badly wanted to get the rounds under his belt.

"We got him Kevin because he's a lot heavier and Martin needs to get used to boxing the bigger men, so it was a worthwhile exercise.

"We want big fights for him and to stage one in Walsall again, either at the Town Hall or maybe the Banks's Stadium, would be really interesting.

"He won his British title and boxed the IBF fight at the Town Hall, so he's pulled the big crowds for a fight around here before."

Halesowen's Lennox Clarke didn't box on the Coventry card at super middle, as advertised, as an opponent could not be arranged in time.

The undefeated super middleweight, a former white collar fighter, stays on six straight victories as a professional, with three stoppage including two first round knockouts.