LUKE Blackledge has set his sights on landing a title before the end of the year after winning in Birmingham on Saturday.
The Accrington super-middleweight stopped Darren McKenna in the third round to improve his record to 16-2-2, but most importantly it was his second victory since losing to Rocky Fielding last November.
“I felt really good,” said Blackledge. “I only took the fight at two weeks’ notice but I’d been training for a couple of months. I’ve been active in the gym.
“Darren had won his last two fights by stoppage so we knew he’d be fit and strong. But me and my trainer Alex (Matvienko) worked on a game-plan, I stuck to it and it worked really well.
“I dropped him in the first round with a double left-hand body shot, and I stopped him in the third with an overhand right.”
Blackledge may have failed to snatch Fielding’s Commonwealth belt but the 23-year-old now hopes to fight for the vacant English title.
“I’d only had one fight this year but now I’ve had a second and it was a really good win so I hope to get a title shot in September,” he said.
Blackledge has eyed the September 6 bill at the King George’s Hall in Blackburn.
Oswaldtwistle heavyweight Adam Machaj was already due to fight on the undercard but now Accrington featherweight Artif Ali has been added to the bill.
