Pinky Planning On Implementing Changes

Pinky Back In Action

Alex Florence is planning to implement changes when he returns to the ring after over a year out of action.

Florence will have spent 14 months on the sidelines when he next steps through the ropes, having recovered from a broken wrist.

He next features on BCB Promotions’ show at the Venue, on Dudley high street. The afternoon offering, on July 28, has been titled ‘Sunday Service.’

‘Pinky’ will have new trainers leading him into battle, with ex-professionals Richard Ghent and Robert Wright taking charge of him.

The 22-year-old has also relocated to Malvern in Worcestershire, making the move from Ledbury in his home country of Herefordshire.

The Hereford-born prospect resumes his efforts in the super lightweight ranks, with five victories and one stoppage previously recorded.

He’s passed his two-year anniversary as a pro, having debuted in 2017 with whitewash points successes over Kristian Laight and Liam Richards that year.

He wiped out Jan Korec inside a round come March of 2018, before stepping up to six rounds against Michael Mooney that May.

Another landslide points result came at a cost, with Florence hurting himself early on while unloading his arsenal. He now comes back with a fresh impetus.

He said: “I’m enjoying training with Richie and the team, the style he teaches is on my wavelength and that’s to hit and not get hit.

“I’m at the stage of my pro career where I need to perfect those techniques, although I know I’m more than capable of having a fight.

“It’s been over a year since I’ve last been in there, I broke my left wrist in the first round against Mooney and didn’t realise how bad it was.

“I spoke to Mooney afterwards and he told me he might not have seen the sixth, if I’d had kept the pace I’d started with. I’d already bust him up a bit.

“I felt a lot stronger than him, but my jab went when my hand did. It was really swollen, at first, then it really started hurting later on.

“It’s not bothering me at all now, so I’ve all really lost is time. It does bother me, I’d be knocking on for 10 bouts now if I’d stayed fit.

“I haven’t lost in a long time, I think I had something like a winning run of 17 towards the end of my time as an amateur. I’ve never even gave a round up as a pro.

“I’m planning to continue at super lightweight, but I make it well so, at a day before weigh-in, I could probably make lightweight. It’s good to have options.

“Of course, there’s likely to be a bit of ring rust, so I just want to get these four rounds out of the way and then jump straight back up to six.

“If I’m honest, my fitness hasn’t been that great in the past, but I’m doing much better now. My running patterns and circuits have changed and I’m getting much more sparring.

“I’m still a fair way from a 10-rounder, but I’d feel comfortable going for the Midlands title. Kane Baker had it at lightweight, but he’s planning to vacate.

“We’ve had him in the gym for sparring and I know Shaun Cooper has been mandatory challenger. We know each other well.

“I beat and dropped him in the amateurs, but I’ve watched him since and it looked like his man strength has come through. I’d still fancy it, though.”

Two hometown favourites will be in action elsewhere on the card, with Danny Ball and Connor Lee Jones slated to appear.

Ball, from Kingswinford, came close to becoming the Midlands welterweight champion in December, pushing title holder Benjamin to a points draw.

He was then matched for a shot at WBC Youth Intercontinental boss Jon Miguez in Spain, but an injury to his opponent saw the opportunity scuppered.

He instead focusses on adding to his eight wins from nine contests, with three TKOs including two in the first round. Two of those successes took place at the Venue.

Dudley’s Jones will be looking to extend his unbeaten start in the lightweight ranks, after racking up three spotless points successes.
The Lions Boxing Club graduate, an England international as a junior amateur, has vanquished experienced foes in Liam Richards, Kristian Laight and Ibrar Riyaz.

Kyle Williams is another to feature in the home corner, determined to get back to winning ways and rebuild after his setback for British honours.
Williams, from Wolverhampton, was handed his first defeat on the big stage in April, against Kash Farooq and relinquished the English bantamweight crown for the opportunity.

His next task is to add to his 10 wins, with three TKOs, having also picked up a Midlands belt along the way before claiming national glory.

James Beech Jr has relinquished the area strap at super feather, as he’s looking to come down to super bantam.

The second-generation fighter makes the short trip from nearby Bloxwich, featuring in the paid ranks for a 10th time after nine wins, with three stoppages.

He’s the son of Jimmy Beech, who featured 31 times as a pro at lightweight between 1999 and 2008. He’s a graduate of Pleck Boxing Club, who he featured for 80 times with 50 wins.

Reigning Midlands flyweight title holder Ijaz Ahmed has already defended his belt once, after claiming the area strap.

Ahmed beat Conor Blackshaw for the vacant belt and then saw off fellow Brummie Matt Windle to keep it, with a keep-busy affair now lined up.

Wolverhampton’s Conah Walker has five victories, his in the welterweight division, with two TKOs already to his credit.

‘The Wolf’ is emerging as a prospect with a boxing legend in his corner, as he’s coached by two-weight world champion Ricky Hatton.

Walker already has his first six-rounder under his belt, outpointing Nathan Bendon at the same Town Hall in May.

Female flyweight Dani Hodges, from Burntwood, will be determined to get back to winning ways after a first points defeat.

It took Commonwealth Games gold medallist Lisa Whiteside to beat her, a first setback since a TKO loss to Eva Naranjo in Spain two years ago.

An eventful 2019 has also seen the ‘Pocket Rocket’ vanquish Lauren Parker and Roz Mari Silyanova, adding to victories over Sonia Klos and Teodora Hristova.

Tickets, priced at £35 standard or £65 VIP ringside with a buffet and waitress service, are on sale now. It will be £40 for entry on the door. For more information, contact the boxers.

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