"Lords of the Ring": Hide v Chingangu, Walker v Humphrey

26.05 - "Lords of the Ring" will take place on Tuesday 27th May at the Goresbrook Leisure Centre in Dagenham. The event, which will be covered by the BBC, features Herbie Hide in a rematch against Zamibia's Joseph Chingangu and David Walker's challenge for John 'Boy' Humphries Southern Area Light Middleweight crown. Tickets can be purchased under 0870 1000 000, £25 unreserved and £60 ringside.

Herbie Hide will enter the ring to take on Joseph Chingangu with only one thing on his mind: revenge. The Zambian hit him after the referee called for a break in their first fight in September 2001 and subsequently went on to score a second round stoppage that many believe should have been ruled out.

Controversially the result was allowed to stand. Former two-times WBO heavyweight champion Hide, however, now has the chance to set the record straight himself - an opportunity his promoter is sure he will take.

"Herbie has been waiting for this fight for some time now," said Mick Hennessy. "Now it is here, he can prove once and for all that an unimpeded Herbie Hide simply has too much for Joseph Chingangu.

"That is not to say that we don't respect Chingangu - he can obviously punch - but Herbie is a genuinely world class fighter who will be back in world class company very soon."

Hennessy continued: "I have been very impressed with Herbie since he signed with us earlier this year, particularly given the fact that he did not box at all in 2002.

"If anything that layoff, which allowed him to put together a new training base in Vegas, may have helped him get things together. He certainly looked good in his first fight back in April against Derek McCafferty.

"That was meant to be nothing more than an exercise to shake off the ring-rust, but even then he scored a stoppage - something Audley Harrison was unable to do."

David Walker in sensational showdown against John 'Boy' Humphrey

'Kid Dynamite' has almost come full circle. Should he overcome Newmarket's John 'Boy' Humphrey he will once again be the holder of a Southern Area title on the verge of a shot at the Lonsdale belt.

This was the position the 26-year-old held last December before he suffered his first ever-professional defeat in a spectacular final eliminator for the British welterweight title against Jimmy Vincent.

That loss prompted a move up into the light middleweight division, a difficult decision that required him to vacate his old Crown. David, however, has never looked back.

"I am really enjoying myself at my new weight," began the massive ticket seller. "Of course it was difficult for me to leave my Southern Area welterweight title behind, but it was something I had to do.

"Making welterweight was becoming too difficult and distracted me from my training. I am far more comfortable at 11st as I think I proved in my recent win over Leigh Wicks and can really focus on my boxing now."

He added: "I have already earned another Southern Area title shot and whilst I know it is not going to be easy against a powerful and talented champion like John Humphrey, I am confident that my natural talent and the new strength I have found at 11st will see me through.

"If it does, I would love a crack at British and Commonwealth champion Jamie Moore, a fight that I know my promoter Mick Hennessy has already been discussing."

'Lords of the Ring'
Goresbrook Leisure Centre, Dagenham
Tuesday 27th May 2003

10x3 Southern Area Light-Middleweight Championship
John Humphrey v David Walker
(Newmarket) (Sidcup/Bermondsey)

10x3 Heavyweight
Herbie Hide v Joseph Chingangu
(Norwich) (Zambia/Italy)

8x3 Light-Welterweight Championship
Francis Barrett v Gary Reid
(Wembley)

8x3 Light-Welterweight
Stephen Smith v Jon Honney
(Kentish Town/Hull) (Basingstoke)

6x3 Super-Featherweight
Billy Corcoran v Jimmy Beech
(Wembley) (Walsall)

6x3 Middleweight
Matthew Thirlwall v Leigh Wicks
(Bermondsey) (Brighton)

6x3 Light-Welterweight
Lenny Daws v TBA
(Morden)

6x3 Lightweight
Dave Stewart v TBA
(London/Irvine)

6x3 Light Heavyweight
Steve Spartacus v Mark Phillips
(Ipswich) (Carmarthen)

4x3 Light-Welterweight
Silence Saheed Ben 'Catweazle' Hudson
(London) (Cambridge)