Patient Male lands English title shot (From Dudley News)

Patient Male lands English title shot

4:30pm Wednesday 20th June 2012 in Sport

CHRIS Male wants to prove he is still a force at featherweight by winning the English title.

The 30-year-old feels he has become the forgotten man of the division after a nightmare 12 months blighted by call-offs and a shoulder injury.

But after returning to full fitness, Male now sees light at the end of the tunnel after being lined up to face fellow unbeaten fighter Jon Fernandes in London on October 5.

Male, who has not fought since defeating Dougie Curran inside three rounds last June, believes it is a chance to salvage his career.

He said: “The last 12 months have been incredibly frustrating but the past is gone.

“You can’t dwell on it. Boxing is just that kind of sport and you have to take the highs and the lows.

“This is a chance to put myself back in the picture.

“I’ve been waiting for a long time and to now have the date, I’m over the moon. It’s given me something to work towards and I just want to get that title back to Dudley.”

Male’s woes began last November when his English title fight with former Olympian Joe Murray fell through at the 11th hour after the Ricky Hatton show on which it was due to appear was cancelled.

The bout was rescheduled for February but disaster struck again when Male suffered a serious shoulder injury with just weeks to go.

It meant a season which promised so much ended up delivering very little.

Male added: “I was on a really good run before all these setbacks and I fully believe I could have been British champion by now.

“But these things happen and it has only made me more determined to succeed.

“I’m already in great shape and in four or five weeks we will look to step things up for the fight.

“I may have been out of action for 12 months but it’s not like I have been sitting on my hands.

“I have had two tough training camps for fights which didn’t happen I’ll be more than ready come October.”

While Male’s fortunes may be looking up, his training partner Jamie Ball has suffered his own setback.

The light-middleweight was scheduled to face Czech champion Michael Pechacek at Wolverhampton Civic Hall this Friday but has been forced to pull out with a back problem.

Former Lions ABC fighters Ricky Summers and Andy Robinson will make their debuts on the show.

For more information and tickets to the Civic, call the box office on 0870 3207000 or promoter Paul ‘PJ’ Rowson on 07976 283157.

Tickets will also be available on the door.

Another man looking at a title shot is Dudley middleweight Ryan Aston, who will tackle Nottingham’s Curtis Valentine for the Midlands Area title in Sheffield on July 7.