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Chris Jenkins will meet Frenchman Christopher Sebire for the vacant WBC International Light Welterweight Title at the Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff on Saturday, live on Sky Sports – hunting the breakthrough title win to take him to the big stage.
Jenkins burst onto the scene in July with his impressive win in the Prizefighter Light Welterweights III at the York Hall in Bethnal Green, coming in as a late replacement to win every round he boxed in, with the icing on the cake – a second round stoppage of Danny Connor in the final.
The unbeaten 25 year old has moved seamlessly to 12-0 and now he’s ready to step-up to title level, and claiming the WBC International crown against the former French champion (22-6) could be the first step on the path to British title glory.
“This is a huge opportunity to really make waves in the Light Welterweight division,” said Jenkins. “I would love to get a crack at the British title this year and victory on Saturday would see me make an impression in the WBC rankings too.
“This is a great opportunity tonight against a classy international fighter and I want to really put on a show. I’m hoping to get the win and then get more rounds in the bag to make sure I am fit enough in case I get a chance for the British title later in the year.
“In the top 15-20 in Britain you’ve got some really good boys. Within that top ten you’ve got Willie Limond, the likes of Lenny Daws and Adil Anwar, and they’ve all had fifteen-plus fights. Anyone that gets a chance there could be an upset, the title could be changing hands every other couple of months.
“I had an awesome 2013 really. I’m number seven in Britain now and I’m just looking forward to this year and hopefully it’s a big one for me and my team.
British champion Darren Hamilton defends his title against Curtis Woodhouse in Hull on February 22. Hamilton will claim the Lord Lonsdale belt outright if he wins and Jenkins hopes to meet the Londoner later this year.
“Saturday is a step up and I’d like a British title eliminator in April or May for a British title fight in September,” said Jenkins. “I believe I’ll be ready for it then, even if Darren Hamilton does what he does well.
“He has a good jab and right hand, is quite tight and is a come-forward fighter who will put you under pressure for 12 rounds. I’ve gotrespect for him so it’s not a case of calling him out, but in the next two to three fights I think it would be a good match up.”
Jenkins’ clash with Sebire is part of a great line-up of action in Cardiff, led by Lee Selby’s British Featherweight title clash with Rendall Munroe, where the victor will also claim the vacant European strap.
There’s a tasty all-Welsh British Lightweight title eliminator between Gavin Rees and Gary Buckland, Olympic Gold medal hero Anthony Joshua, MBE, fights for the fourth time in the paid ranks against Aberdare’s Dorian Darch and Jason Cook brings down the curtain on his career against Tony Pace with the Welsh Area Light Welterweight title on the line.
Former European Middleweight champion Kerry Hope is in action and Islington’s former British Light Middleweight title challenger Erick Ochieng faces a tough test in his first fight down at Welterweight against Dale Evans.
Swansea’s talented Super Middleweight, Tobias Webb, tackles Nathan King in a six-round contest, with Bristol’s unbeaten Welterweight Tamuka Mucha in his seventh pro fight.
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