Eales set to feature on big Cannock bill

Ashlee Eales…returning after a year out through injury

SCOTT Murray’s major September 13 Cannock show will be a busy night for Lee Spare’s Boxing Clever gym.

The Nuneaton sweatshop has potentially three boxers on a stacked Leisure Centre card topped by Black Country great Sam Eggington and Jess Barry who is in international title action.

Minaaz Gurung – slated to fight for the vacant Midlands super-lightweight title – and Leo Fanthome are definitely appearing.

But now there are moves to include Boxing Clever’s Ashlee Eales on the undercard. The former Midlands light-middleweight champ would be making a return after over a year on the sidelines with a broken hand.

“Three fighters on the same show, that’s something to be proud of,” said Spare. “Not many gyms can say that.”

Gurung, unbeaten in five, features in the gym’s biggest bout at Cannock, although the search for a Midlands title opponent is proving problematic.

The Board of Control wanted him to face Conor Baker for the vacant belt, but the Tipton fighter wasn’t available for the September 13 show.

Minaaz Gurung…still waiting for a Midlands title opponent

Leicester’s Callum Blockley has been approached, but, at present, no name has been announced.

“Surely there’s an opponent in the Midlands,” said Spare. “Minaaz has only had five fights, you’d think there were plenty of names.

“Minaaz deserves it. He’s a great lad, he’s disciplined, he gives 110 per cent. You could tell him to headbutt a rock and he’d do it.

“You can do so much with those attributes. He is determined to be the best he can be. He is level-headed, he doesn’t go around saying, ‘I’m going to be this, I’m going to do that’. The goal is to be the best version of himself he can be.

“A couple of fights ago, I thought, ‘he’s really clicking’ – the moment when you can see someone doing the things you’ve told them to do in the order they should be. I can see that and it’s exciting.”

Eales, with only one loss in 11 contest, has been cursed by hand injuries from the start. Spare has had to work around the problem.

“He now has some 20oz gloves for the gym,” the trainer said, “to try to minimise the risk.”

Lee is looking for a rust-shedding six rounder for Ashley – nothing too ambitious, yet a decent opponent. The boxer, however, craves big fights.

“To come back, you have to have the right fight,” Spare said. “You need a couple of bouts to get back to where you were. I don’t want Ashley to jump straight back into a 10 rounder.”

But he admitted: “Ashley needs to be motivated for a fight. He needs a fight that is risky, and he’s excited about it. He’ll tell you he’ll be brilliant and win by knockout, which is fantastic.

“But you need the right comeback fight.”

Welterweight Fanthome, with one loss in five, will take part in his first six rounder on the show.