Kaisee set for Brum European title clash

Benjamin…no hangover following British title loss

KAISEE Benjamin – the explosive light-welter with moves as smooth as melted butter – has landed another major title fight, I can exclusively reveal.

Rumours abound that the Chelmsley Wood talent will face Sean McComb for the Irish southpaw’s WBO European title on the major, televised May 6 Birmingham Resorts World bill.

Nothing about the bill has publicly been announced, but gym whispers from around Midlands gyms are beginning to filter through.

Former British light-heavyweight champ Shakan Pitters is on the bill, but, surprisingly, fellow Eastside fighter Sam Eggington will not feature.

That’s a surprise. If you’re looking to re-establish big time boxing in Birmingham and if you’re looking to wow armchair viewers, Eggington, I would’ve felt, is the fail safe option. You’re pretty much guaranteed a thriller – that’s why the man has won back-to-back British Boxing Board of Control back-to-back honours.

It’s now down to 27-year-old Benjamin, a fighter who carries wrecking ball power and has a CV of spectacular televised stoppages – to provide the thrills and spills.

The Resorts World show will be his first outing since losing on points in a November bid for Dalton Smith’s British title last November.

Kaisee, from Chelmsley Wood, pushed Smith – considered a super-star in waiting – harder than any other foe. One judge, Steve Gray, had him losing  by a single point.

Now the former Midlands champ has been given the opportunity to re-establish himself in his home city.

Poster for the big Resorts World show

And in Belfast’s McComb, he faces – if the bout is officially announced – a very good fighter coming off the biggest win of his career.

In December, the 30-year-old outpointed Zsolt Osadan for the European belt. McComb has lost only one of 16, but that was a significant setback. Cut on the cheek and over the eye, McComb was stopped in the seventh by Gavin Gwynne for the vacant Commonwealth lightweight title.

Benjamin is positively relishing another big stage performance, but stressed the McComb clash is, at present, nothing more than a rumour.

He told me: “I love it, I love the big nights and the big fights. I want to progress in my career and I can only do that by fighting these people.”

Benjamin, who has lost only two of 18, assured fans there’s no hangover from the British title fight.

“I’m not too disappointed in my performance,” he said. “I thought some of the scoring was a bit harsh, I felt it could’ve gone either way, but it’s difficult when you’re on the dark side, in the away corner.

“I could’ve done a bit more. I felt if I’d been more active leading up to the fight I would’ve had more gears to go through. I’d had one fight in a year – and that was against a middleweight.”

Benjamin’s bid for European glory has been bolstered by Arden Hotel which has provided use of fitness facilities.

Benjamin added: “I’m a professional fighter doing what I need to to be where I need to be.”

Whatever the outcome on May 6, Benjamin has a much bigger match awaiting in June – the marriage to fiancée Rainen Johnson.