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Jason Welborn takes on the welter roadblock

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Rowley Regis' Jason Welborn has benefitted from world-class sparring before he attempts to smash through a roadblock next Saturday night.

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Welborn's return to welterweight lasted 56 seconds before he smashed through Michal Vosyka on April 23,

writes Craig Birch.

Needing more rounds under his belt, the 29-year-old immediately arranged to be added to this weekend's fight night at Walsall Football Club.

Paid pugilism will again be the order of the day in the Stadium Suite at the Banks's, where ring legend Ricky Hatton joint promotes with Errol Johnson's Black Country Boxing.

Welborn has been put through his paces by Russian David Avanesyan, who is preparing to defend his interim WBA world welterweight title against Shane Mosley on May 28.

Their training session came at Carl Greaves' gym across the Midlands, with Welborn needing to be at his best if he's to make it back-to-back TKOs.

He's been paired with William Warburton, a wily veteran of 122 pro contests having failed to see out the distance just three times.

Welborn said: "It was a great experience. He's operating at a level I'm setting my sights at and is a very good, strong boxer. I was really impressed with him, he can really bang.

"That said, I thought I held my own and it's given me confidence that I can mix it at this level, now I'm back at welterweight.

"David doesn't waste a shot and I had to be on it for the entire eight rounds. It was a bit of a war and that's good for us both.

"He's going in with Shane Mosley, who has done it all in the ring. It will be a great fight. His trainer, Carl Greaves, asked me to pop up and I'm grateful for the opportunity.

"I needed some ring time after stopping Voskya early, so it was a good workout for us both."

Welborn is part of the supporting cast to a double main event, where Hatton prospects Sam Evans and Nathan Gorman both billed as headliners in separate bouts.

Wednesbury's Evans, 20, is campaigning in the light welterweight division where his mentor reigned by winning IBO, IBF and WBA 'super' world titles during his own career.

Heavyweight Gorman, from Nantwich in Cheshire, is going after his fourth straight win with no losses, like Evans.

Former British lightweight champion Martin Gethin, from Walsall, also appears. He's also held the Midlands, English and IBF International belts over a 12-year career. He's now up at welter.

The 32-year-old just wants to get back up and running again, after his comeback at Walsall Town Hall in March was postponed due to a pulled chest muscle.

Kieron McLaren and former world kickboxing champion Chad Sugden complete the line-up, the latter having already successfully made the switch.

Sugden, 21, held the ISKA world middleweight crown and remains the youngest to ever win a belt from that organisation.

He shut out the never-stopped Lithuanian Deividas Sajauka over-the-distance. The man from Newark in the East Midlands is known as '2 Slick.'

Unbeaten light welterweight McLaren will be after his eighth straight win as a pro. 'Gunner,' from Stoke, is still awaiting his first stoppage, though.

Tickets for the show, called 'May-Hem,' are still on sale. Standard passes are £30 with VIPs, at £60, including a two-course meal on tables of 10.

For more information and to purchase, call the Walsall FC Box Office on 01922 651 414, extension 416.

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