REDDITCH boxer Carl Dickens continued his superb start to professional boxing by claiming a fourth victory from as many fights as he defeated Essex fighter Danny Brown in a four-round middleweight bout on Saturday evening.
‘The Wallop’ rated his win at Villa Park’s Holte Suite as his most impressive to date as he claimed a convincing success despite suffering the discomfort of a cut to his eye in the opening round during an accidental clash of heads.
The Winyates East man, sponsored by Birmingham-based Passion VIP, is now already looking forward to his next fight – which is scheduled for September 6 at the same venue – and remains on course to challenge for a British Masters title by this time next year.
Thirty-year-old Dickens said his pre-fight preparations including a week’s training camp in Thailand had left him in the best physical condition possible and so it proved as he boxed aggressively to defeat his 37-year-old opponent – the third successive southpaw Dickens has faced.
“It’s the best I’ve boxed yet,” said Dickens. “The cut to the eye wasn’t the ideal start as it gives you some discomfort, but it really made me focus on not letting him get clean shots at me as you can be in real trouble once that happens if you’ve already got a cut.
“I floored him with a really good straight right-hander in the second round and really took command from then on, which was pleasing.
“I am really believing in myself in that ring now and I feel at home there. My fans were the loudest out of all the supporters on the night – again – and it’s great to be winning for them. They really enjoyed the knockdown!
“There were some people who doubted me when I started my professional career, but they don’t matter to me. The people who matter are those who support me and I focus on proving the believers right, rather than proving the doubters wrong.”
Dickens’ coach Gary Blower, of Birmingham’s Studio ABC, said: “I was delighted with Carl’s performance. He executed his plans very well and was always on the front foot, which is key to his boxing.
“It was very impressive how calm he kept after suffering the cut eye, because it’s very unsettling for a boxer, but if anything he improved from that moment and there was only one winner really against a very experienced fighter.”
Dickens is wasting no time in his efforts to make it five wins from five as he is about to embark on a strength and conditioning course before beginning another training camp in a fortnight’s time.
