British Boxing Title: Marc Callaghan – Esham Pickering

Marc Callaghan challenges Esham Pickering for the vacant British Super-Bantamweight Title on March 16 confident of continuing his career’s recent momentum after recovering from a family tragedy.

Callaghan knows he will be underdog when he climbs into the ring for the co-main event along with Jonathan Thaxton’s British Lightweight Title defence against Scott Lawton at the Norfolk Showground.

But Callaghan, 29, is still confident of pulling off an upset on the Hennessy Sports show “Showdowns @ the Showground” event against former European champion Pickering, who is aiming to climb back towards world title contention.

The Barking boxer admits his career suffered after the death of his brother John in October 2002, but he has since got himself back on track and captured the English title a year ago by out-pointing Sean Hughes in Hartlepool.

It marked a return to form for Marc after a string of losses that he attributes to not being mentally right to fight. Marc lost five of his seven fights following the death of his brother to Multiple Sclerosis.

“He’s a massive favourite, but I’ve not boxed at my full potential yet and I’ve not been helped by a few problems in my personal life,” said Marc, who has sparred with Friday’s European title challenger and former victim Ian Napa as preparation.

“I’ve taken fights when I shouldn’t have and not been mentally right for fights, but all that is behind me now.

“I lost three on the trot from December 2002 to July 2003 – but I shouldn’t have been in the ring. My brother had only died in 2002. He had MS and I was the one who went around to his place to find him dead. Boxing kept me together but I was like a zombie in there for some of those fights.”

Asiku, of Ghana, stopped Callaghan in the first in a late notice Commonwealth featherweight title clash in November 2005, but the Essex boy bounced back to beat Hughes and then Dariusz Snarski on points decisions last year.

Callaghan has also twice fought former IBF world title challenger Michael Hunter, holding him to a draw in 2002 before being stopped in the eighth in 2004.

Hunter went on the beat Pickering for his European crown and despite admitting His opponent will be “a massive favourite”, Callaghan warns the boxing world has yet to see him box to his full potential.

“Pickering is a class act especially when he boxed Hunter, someone I’ve always respected even before I turned pro and I know he will be favourite, but that doesn’t bother me,” he said.

“He’s had a few setbacks but it wasn’t like he was out-classed by Dunne and I thought he nicked the Hunter fight. Before that he was on a good run, so I’m facing a top boxer and I will have to be at my best to beat him.

“I’ve not always got the decisions in my career but hopefully I will turn that around on the night.

“I’ve been training even harder for this one than I would normally because it’s a great opportunity.

“I’ve just had a baby son called Charlie and that has given me even more incentive to win this fight.”

Hennessy Sports Proudly Present
The Showdowns @ The Showground
Friday 16th March 2007
The Norfolk Showground

Tickets priced £25, £35, £50 and £100 available on 01603 868 606.

12×3 British Lightweight Championship
Jon Thaxton vs. Scott Lawton
(Norwich) (Stoke)

12×3 British Super Bantamweight Championship
Esham Pickering vs. Marc Callaghan
(Newark) (Barking)

6×3 Heavyweight
Sam Sexton vs. TBA
(Norwich) ()

6×3 Light Heavyweight
Danny McIntosh vs. TBA
(Norwich) ()

4×3 Light Heavyweight
Paul Davis vs. Omid Burzo
(Norwich) (Tehran via Sheffield)

4×3 Light Welterweight
Leonard Lothian vs. Matthew Martin Lewis
(Northampton) (Colchester)

4×3 Lightweight
Lee Purdey vs. TBA
(Colchester) ()