Hickman ready to end Murray's unbeaten run by Tom Podmore Nov 6th 2007

Dean Hickman has vowed to put the crushing stoppage defeat in his last contest behind him when he challenges for the vacant English lightweight title in Nottingham on Friday evening (November 9). The West Bromwich puncher – halted in five ferocious rounds by Stoke's Gary Reid in April – steps down in weight to meet undefeated Manchester prospect John Murray on the undercard of Carl Froch-Robin Reid at the Nottingham Arena. This ten-round fight, promoted by Hennessy Sports and GoldenPalace.net, is certain to produce some explosive exchanges. And despite starting as the betting underdog, Hickman believes that his power, greater strength and unbreakable will-to-win will see him take the belt back home with him to the Black Country and put himself in line for crack at Jon Thaxton's British nine-stone-nine belt early next year. But hard-hitting Murray has been touted as a future world champion and compiled a stellar 21-0 (11) record that has seen him scalp some decent men, including Nacho Mendoza, Moebi Sarouna, Mounir Guebbas and Harry Ramogoadi. Joe Gallagher-trained Joe, 22, also holds the WBC Youth title and has appeared on bills in the United States, the massive De La Hoya-Mayweather card in Las Vegas in May being the pinnacle of his fledgling career thus far. Murray's recent world-class sparring with Ricky Hatton can only bring him on further. The 27-year-old PJ Rowson-promoted scaffolder isn't perturbed, however, and can find inspiration from West Brom stablemate Young Mutley, who won the British welterweight title at this very arena at the start of 2006. Michael Jennings, the man Mutley outpointed that January night, was also an undefeated boxer from the North West. A good omen for Dean, perhaps? Although Hickman was dropped five times and halted by bigger Reid for the vacant Midland Area ten-stone title in April – a belt the father-of-two had previously worn with distinction for three years – he felt he was simply caught on a bad day. “It was a terrible day at the office,” said ‘Deano' of his defeat to the Wolverhampton-born bodyshot artist he'd outpointed for the same title two years earlier,“ so there is no point in dwelling on it. “He beat me fair-and-square on the night but It has been put in the past and the only thing I'm thinking of is having the English belt strapped round my waist on Friday.” Hickman is, on his day, a fighter that needs to be respected. Though all three of his pro defeats have come inside, the Errol Johnson-trained banger holds excellent-looking wins over current WBU lightweight champ Lee McAllister and Nottingham's Adnan Amar, who was brutally knocked out in Dudley back in 2004. Slippery Ingle-trained Tony Montana, former Celtic light-welterweight boss Ceri Hall and old foe Gary Reid also left the West Midlands bruised and beaten by the former English light-welterweight title challenger. And the domestic top ten-rated fighter is supremely confident the hyped Mancunian youngster will be his sixteenth professional victory (three wins, one draw) by the end of the night. He said: “I am extremely confident that I can win and people will see that I can produce the goods on the big occasion. “It's given me an added boost knowing that the fight is being shown live on television (Sky Sports) and I have sold a lot of tickets, so it won't be too quiet when I step inside the ropes. “If I win it will put me in the mix and I think I have got a good chance,” continued mallet-fisted Hickman. “Murray is talented and has a very good workrate but I know I have the strength, the power and the heart to stop him. “We have spotted a couple of weak areas in his armoury but I am going to keep those to myself as I want to gain every advantage I possibly can. I have just got to produce on the night.” The Wednesbury Boxing Academy-based scrapper says this is only the first step on the ladder at his new weight and has the British champion set firmly in his sights for the New Year. “My main aim is to box Jon Thaxton for the British lightweight title. I know Jon can punch, but I feel that with the right preparation it is a fight I have more than enough talent to win. “But first I am going to find my redemption against Murray.”

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