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Conrad Cummings promising improvements ahead of Belfast headline fight


It’s a pity he doesn’t get to show them against a ‘name’ like Brian Rose but Conrad Cummings claims he has made massive improvements ahead of his bid to regain the WBO European middleweight title this weekend.

‘Mr Dynamite’ tops a Titanic Exhibition Centre bill against unbeaten Hungarian Ferenc Berki [11(5)-0] on Friday night for a title he held last year.

The belt was then stripped from Cummings [15(7)-2(0)-1[ for a failure to defend after his fight with Pole Robert Swierzbinski was called off following the cancellation of the ill-fated ‘Return of the Jackal’ bill last summer.

The Coalisland boxer attempted to win the belt in a vacant title fight versus Luke Keeler in April but was defeated by the Dubliner – and he had hoped to complete his rebuild this weekend

Lonsdale belt outright winner and former World title challenger Rose was scheduled to fight the Tyrone man after his own proposed fight with Keeler was called off due to a back injury suffered by the Dubliner.

Rose certainly would have proved a stiffer test and would have provided Cummings with the chance to increase his profile.

Regardless, he is promising an improved display in Belfast on Friday and claiming the ranking title should set him up nicely to kick on further in the New Year – with a potential rematch with Keeler a possibility.

Ahead of his second headline appearance of the year, Cummings revealed that “,y trainer Jamie Moore said to me last week that I’ve taken massive strides in this camp.

“It’s taken me a while to settle in with my new trainer and in my new environment but now I have a rhythm, I can’t wait to get out there and show the improvements I’ve made. I’m buzzing.”

It’s not just the work of Moore, who also looks after Carl Frampton and Steven Ward that has helped the 27-year-old. Cummings feels he is also benefiting from top class sparring and the environment he finds himself in in Manchester.

The Ulsterman enjoys regular sparring with top contenders Rocky Fielding and Martin Murray who both have big fights in December versus Canelo Alvarez and Hassan N’Dam N’Jikam respectively

Ahead of his fight with the Hungarian light middleweight champion Cummings outlined how “there’s just a fantastic atmosphere in the gym. I’m fighting for the WBO European title, then the following week Rocky Fielding fights Canelo then the week after that, Carl Frampton fights Josh Warrington for the world title with Martin Murray and Steven Ward on the bill.”

“I’m honoured to be a part of it and we’re all bouncing off each other. I’ve been sparring Martin and Rocky and I’m taking great confidence from them. I’m in a great place mentally and physically and I can’t wait until fight night to show that.”

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Jonny Stapleton

Irish-boxing.com contributor for 15 years and editor for the past decade. Have been covering boxing for over 16 years and writing about sports for a living for over 20 years. Former Assistant Sports editor for the Gazette News Paper Group and former Tallaght Voice Sports Editor. Have had work published in publications around the world when working as a freelance journalist. Also co-founder of Junior Sports Media and Leinster Rugby PRO of the Year winner. email: editoririshboxing@gmail.com

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