Two pull outs on Civic boxing show

Plans for the boxing show at Wolverhampton Civic Hall next Sunday have been hit by the pull out of two of the 'away' fighters due to appear.

Wiltshire fighters Gareth Heard and the highly-rated Nick 'Bang Bang' Blackwell have been deprived of the chance to make their Black Country debuts, after a flu bug swept through their gym in Trowbridge with both still feeling the ill effects.

Middleweight Blackwell can barely stand after the illness affected his balance, while welterweight Heard has been bed ridden trying to shake it off.

Neither has trained this week, with trainer Mark Kent making the call that they would not be fit to compete.

They had been down to box Telford's Kieron Gray and Tamworth's Matt Seawright respectively.

Dan Carr was another fighter from the same gym to be pulled from the bill three weeks back, after his opponent Chris Truman cracked a rib in training.

But Wiltshire will be still represented in the main event with a title fight to boot, when Melksham's Liam Richards takes on Cradley's Chris Male for the vacant British Masters featherweight title.

Both are putting their unbeaten records on the line and one will come to an end if a new champion is to be crowned.

And Richards should still find himself well supported on the day.

Promoter Paul 'PJ' Rowson said: "I feel for the fans from down there but they are still coming to the show, there is about two buses full of them and I presume they will all be cheering Liam on.

"It's boxing, these things happen and unfortunately that is the nature of the sport. It's not like a team sport where you can draft in a striker, or it doesn't matter that much if your left-back is out.

"It's one-on-one and if one pulls out that is it."

For tickets, call the box office on 0870 320 7000 or 07976 283 157.

The show will also be broadcast online live on pay-per view at a cost of just £2.99, through Hatton TV at www.hattonboxing.tv.