Paul Smith will be gunning for immediate revenge when he tackles Steve Bendall at the M.E.N Arena on September 6. The Scouser lost his English middleweight title to Bendall in Birmingham last month on a hotly disputed points decision..
But many ringside believed he had comfortably won the fight, and didn’t agree with referee Mark Green’s 96-94 decision.
It was the 25-year-old’s first career defeat, but he is fired up for the return and wants to shut Bendall up.
“I thought I easily won the fight against Bendall,” said Smigga. “I was landing the bigger punches and did enough to win by seven or eight rounds so I was stunned when the referee gave it to Bendall.
“I was more annoyed reading the interviews by Bendall after the fight and that has given me the motivation to shut his mouth up.
“I’m delighted that I’ve been given the chance to win back my title straight away, this time I’ll be making no mistakes and I will flatten him.
“There won’t be any controversy this time – and I fully intend to knock Bendall out to make sure the third man isn’t needed.
“I’ve been having sleepless nights over what happened in Birmingham, but I’ll come back from the defeat stronger, and go on to fulfil my ambitions of winning the British, Commonwealth, European and world titles.”
Smith will be joined on the card by his younger brother Stephen, who got his career off to an exceptional start in Birmingham with a stoppage win over Shaun Walton.
Amir Khan headlines in a defence of his Commonwealth lightweight title, alongside the WBO World Super-Featherweight title clash between Alex Arthur and Nicky Cook.
A fourth title fight has been added to the blockbuster card, with the news that Steve Foster Junior will challenge Femi Fehintola for his English Super-Featherweight crown.
Foster fights for the first time since dropping a close points decision to Arthur in Edinburgh last December when he floored the .
Promoter Frank Warren will announce two more title fights next week, while prospects Anthony Crolla, Denton Vassell, Joe Selkirk and Tony Bellew are all in action.
Middleweight contender Matt Macklin will also be on the card.
Tickets, priced at £30, £40, £50, £100, £150 and £200, are available from www.frankwarren.tv and the following outlets:
M.E.N Ticketmaster
0870 190 8000
www.men-arena.com
See Tickets
0871 220 0260
www.seetickets.com
Ticket Factory
0871 945 6000
www.ticketfactory.co.uk
BWFC
0871 871 2932
khantickets@bwfc.co.uk
Khan Boxing
01204 535 332
www.amirkhan-boxing.com