Unlucky Ben suffers 2 title fight call-offs

Ben Vaughan…keeps busy in Birmingham this Friday

BEN Vaughan will further prove his credentials if he can complete a championship distance and pick up another win.

His chance comes at the Holiday Inn Queensway, in Birmingham city centre, on Friday fight night, October 20, on the undercard of the British title rematch between Ijaz Ahmed and Marcel Braithwaite.

The 10-round distance is the same as Vaughan, who is from Northampton, has twice been scheduled for, in two aborted efforts to compete for a Midlands crown. 

 He instead goes up against Jimmy Cooper, who has 10 of 12 and has only ever been defeated in a three-round Boxxer tournament affair. 

Unbeaten Vaughan is 6-0, all of them points successes, with two six-rounders. Now comes more ring time. 

 The 24-year-old southpaw travelled to Portsmouth last time out and downed Matthew King, a local favourite with a favourable 7-2 ledger, through a points whitewash. 

“The Bomber” had then been scheduled to co-challenge with Callum Blockley for the vacant Midlands welterweight title on October 1, but the match never materialised. 

That made it a double disappointment for Vaughan, who missed out on another area opportunity, at super lightweight, in June, when Shaun Cooper withdrew. 

He was a five-time national amateur champion, representing Kings Heath Boxing Club, in his hometown, where his training base is now the Team Shoe-Box gym. 

Vaughan said: “I’ve been unlucky, with fights getting called off and postponed, but all that has given me is more time to get myself in better shape. 

“I’m always in the gym and there are plenty of other lads there, so I’ve just added extra sparring to keep myself ticking over. Now I just want to fight!

“Whether there is a belt on the line or not, I’ll just be happy to show that I can do a 10-rounder. I’ve sparred the distance, on multiple occasions, in the gym. 

“This is another stepping stone for me, so I’m focused on myself. I can push on to the next level and that motivates me, which is what I’ve been doing. 

“When the Midlands title first didn’t come off (against Shaun Cooper), I went on to the road, as the away fighter, against an opponent with a winning record and beat the home-boy.

“On paper, that looks good on my side, which is what I’ll get again, if I can win this one. I’ve been pleased with my performances, so I’m confident. 

“I’m in the sport to win titles, which I did as an amateur. Ethan (James) and Kieron (Conway, stable-mates) are champions in the pro game and I want my name to be in the picture.”

*The last few tickets for the Holiday Inn bill are available, priced at £40 standard or £80 VIP ringside, directly from the boxers or by visiting myfighttickets.com.