LET DOWN WARD WILL RUMBLE NOT GRUMBLE
BOXER ON SUMMER RUMBLE 7 AT SOL AFTER EUROPEAN TITLE FIGHT POSTPONED
West Rainton boxer Martin Ward will ‘make the most’ of his upcoming bout - despite his European title fight frustrations.
Ward will feature on promoter Phil Jeffries’ Summer Rumble 7 card at the Stadium of Light, after his European Super Bantamweight title fight was postponed until September.
The talented boxer sees the card, a week on Sunday, as a way to use his recent training camp positively.
“We trained hard for eight or nine weeks and there’s no point letting the training camp go to waste,” he said.
“If we can get a fight, get the right opponent, we will make the most of it.”
The 29-year-old has been waiting for his title shot since the start of the year but is yet to see the bout materialise.
“We’ve been training hard since January,” he said.
“We were suppose to fight for the European Union title against Christian Rodriguez, which fell through, and I ended up doing a six-rounder.
“Then we started training again for Medina on the July 21, which has now pushed back to September, so I’ve ended up doing a six-rounder.
“It’s a little bit frustrating.”
Although disappointed, the southpaw is looking forward to his upcoming fight.
“It is brilliant, the Stadium of Light - it’s an annual thing now. Jaffa (Phil Jeffries) has got it on every year and this year, I would dare say, is probably the best one yet.”
The card features several top North East names, including new English champ Glenn Foot, who Ward is very impressed with.
“Glenn is fighting for the English title which is fantastic because he only lives over the way and he is a true warrior, a proper fighting lad.
“To be on the same bill, just sharing it with someone like Glenn, is good.”
Ward’s younger brother, Tommy, clinched the British super bantamweight title back in May and Martin is hoping he too will be a title holder come September. “That would be a dream,” he said. “It is Klitschko-like to have two major titles at the same weight at the same time.
“I know they did it at the world level and we’ll be domestic but still, same weight, same time, two brothers - it would be absolutely unbelievable.
“I don’t think it has ever been done in Britain. I know we’ve had the Smiths and the McDonnells at different weights but I don’t think same weight, same time.
“So it would be a bit of history made, which would be nice.”