Craig Morris moves on to third title opponent

The town's first professional boxer for over 75 years will headline Ludlow's first pro boxing bill since the 1930s this evening, writes Craig Birch.

But the 23-year-old prospect has moved onto his third opponent for the three-fight dinner show at Ludlow Racecourse.

First he was due to vie with former Midlands title challenger Sullivan Mason for the vacant eight-round British Challenge welterweight belt.

Faheem Khan was brought in after Mason's withdrawal for personal reasons, but the Pakistan-born puncher has decided he only wants to do a four-rounder.

Promoter Errol Johnson went with the option of switching him to the under-card, Khan taking on former area champion Rob Hunt.

Hunt's scheduled opponent, William Warburton, will step up to tackle Morris, with a strap still on the line, and brings a wealth of experience and durability despite his losing record.

Morris knows what he's all about, too, dropping his first point as a professional to Warburton in his last outing. The fight will now be at light middleweight, given the late notice, for the same honours.

They previously clashed over four keenly-contested rounds at Walsall Town Hall on December 5, where the Lancashire toughman won the last before going down 39-37 on points.

Centurion Warburton will be taking part in his 117th pro contest at the age of just 28. He's lost 92, with 17 wins and seven draws.

He's stopped three opponents and, crucially, has failed to complete the distance twice himself. He has title experience, too, challenging for the Central area crown in 2010.

Morris' tactics will have to change, after a training camp geared towards fighting fellow southpaws in Mason and Khan.

The former Ludlow School captain has captured the imagination of the town, though, and is undefeated after four outings with two TKOs.

First he turned over with a flawless points victory against former Midlands titlist Kevin McCauley last April, before two knockout displays.

He dropped and halted Viktors Drizlionoks in three, before knocking Victor Edagha clean out of the ring on route to a fourth and last round stoppage.

The Black Country's Manny Zaber completes the card, the unbeaten 21-year-old paired with Ben Zacharkiw in a four-round lightweight contest.

All tickets are sold for what will be a packed house at the Racecourse, as Morris and Johnson's Black Country Boxing look to put Ludlow on the sport's map again.