13.03.07 – Esham Pickering intends to win back the British Super-Bantamweight Title at the prestigious Norfolk Showground on Friday night to show he deserves a rematch with either Michael Hunter or Bernard Dunne. Newark’s former European champion faces Barking challenger Marc Callaghan (19-10-1) for the title on the Hennessy Sports and GoldenPalace.com ‘The Showdowns @ The Showground’ event being shown live by Sky Sports. Their championship is co-main event along with British lightweight champion Jonathan Thaxton’s first defence against Scott Lawton in font of his loyal hometwon fans.
Pickering is convinced he is world title material despite setbacks to Hartlepool hero Hunter – a hotly disputed points decision for the British, Commonwealth and European belts in October 2005 – and Dunne, the Irishman who earned an unanimous decision over him to win the European crown in November.
Pickering returned to winning ways when he out-pointed Frenchman Frederic Gosset over six rounds at the Alexandra Palace in January
“Marc is an experienced boxer, better than his record suggests and he gave Hunter two good fights so I’m expecting a real fight,” said Pickering.
“All my strengths will tell on the night and prove that I’m the best super-bantamweight in Britain and ready for bigger fights.
“I would love revenge over Hunter and Pickering. I still feel I won that fight with Hunter and it’s held up my career. I put him down twice in rounds one and two, and I know he has stepped up to featherweight, but I would fight him at the weight so long as I get the chance.
“I’ve got no excuses for Dunne. It was overwhelming boxing over there, but I chucked it away.
“He didn’t beat me up, he just out-boxed me later on. I had been inactive for a while before and that didn’t help.
“He’s a good boxer but I can beat him and I want that chance again. I could have won that fight and it was never out of my reach. After six rounds it was very tight.
“A lot of people have written me off because I have been beaten at European level, but it wasn’t like I was out of my depth. I would love to get revenge over those two and I have great belief I will be world champion one day.”
Hennessy Sports and GoldenPalace.com Proudly Present
The Showdowns @ The Showground
Friday 16th March 2007
The Norfolk Showground
Tickets priced £25, £35, £50 and £100 available on 01603 868 606.
12×3 British Lightweight Championship
Jon Thaxton vs. Scott Lawton
(Norwich) (Stoke)
12×3 British Super Bantamweight Championship
Esham Pickering vs. Marc Callaghan
(Newark) (Barking)
6×3 Heavyweight
Sam Sexton vs. Tony Booth
(Norwich) (Hull)
6×3 Light Heavyweight
Danny McIntosh vs.Rob Burton
(Norwich) (Barnsley)
4×3 Light Heavyweight
Paul Davis vs. Omid Burzo
(Norwich) (Tehran via Sheffield)
4×3 Light Welterweight
Leonard Lothian vs. Matthew Martin Lewis
(Northampton) (Colchester)
4×3 Lightweight
Lee Purdey vs. John Baguley
(Colchester) (Sheffield)