British stars signing up for Battle on the Tyne

FORMER British and European champion Pat Barrett is coming back to Tyneside to launch Battle On The Tyne at the Lancastrian Suite on Friday, November 16.

It’s to be headlined by his Newcastle-born light-heavyweight Dean Laing and will also strongly feature the hugely experienced Martin Ward from West Rainton.

Laing has won four of his five paid fights and will battle comeback man Chris Dutton, 35, who had ducked out of boxing to live a playboy lifestyle.

The Sheffield father-of-three left the sport after a series of five straight losses undermined his desire.

But in a new training base run by former world champion Junior Witter, he wants to give it another shot.

“My pride had been hit by the defeats,” Dutton said. “I had five months off and went off the rails. I was down in the dumps boozing every day and not taking anything serious.”

Laing, at 28, will be anxious to build up his home fan base and take another step forward himself.

Martin Ward, with 26 victories, four defeats and a draw on his record goes against Johnson Telley.

The undercard will feature Ryan Robinson, the nephew of Lennox Lewis; Manchester middleweight Marcus Morrison; Forest Hall’s Terry Wilkinson, and Zaki Shirzad, an Afghan who now fights out of Newcastle.

There will be plenty of prestigious support from outside the ring too with the likes of Lewis Ritson, Jon-Lewis Dickinson, and John Davison – all British title holders – due to be in attendance.

The Black Flash Promotions bill sees tickets priced at £40 standard and £80 VIP ringside which includes a meal and meet and greet with the boxers. The hotline number is 07711 164170.