Debutant inspired by Leicester's finest by Tom Podmore Jun 25th 2008

Leicester's Joe Hockenhull says the recent success of two other boxers from the city, European super-bantamweight champion Rendall Munroe and undefeated middleweight Kevin Concepcion, has given him a massive boost ahead of his professional debut this weekend. Joe has been preparing for his debut for six months and is eager to put in the kind of explosive showings that has seen the likes of the crowdpleasing Concepcion brothers, hard-hitting Martin and skilful Kevin, and the most famous bin man in the land, Shinfield-handled switch-hitter Rendall Munroe, create a big buzz around the East Midlands city. The exciting middleweight, who tackles Pontefract centurion Peter Dunn over six rounds on Leicester Sporting Club's five-fight card on Saturday night (June 28), ended his amateur tenure at Bulkington ABC, the Warwickshire-based club that spawned current pros like Neil Tidman (former Midland Area super-middleweight boss) and southpaw Sean McKervey, after beginning his unpaid journey at Leicester's respected Belgrave ABC. And he improved significantly after a shaky start, losing only one of his last seven amateur outings. It's that kind of form that Joe hopes to bring with him into the paid arena. And the 24-year-old Neil Tomlinson-trained scrapper recently told the Leicester Mercury: “There is a real buzz about boxing in the city at the moment, what with so many local boxers doing well and winning belts. Rendall Munroe winning the European title and Kevin Concepcion flying up the ratings and earning a contract with Frank Maloney is a real inspiration. “I've learned a lot from my 30 amateur fights,” he said,” and now want to be part of the boxing revival in Leicester.” Topping the bill is unbeaten local prospect Kevin ‘The Panther' Concepcion, 11-0 (3), who fights for his first title, the British Masters middleweight strap, against Barnsley's Ingle-trained ‘Lightning' Lee Noble, 10-8 (2) and making the first defence of a belt he won in February. This will be the first time Neil Tomlinson-trained Concepcion has been scheduled to do more than six-threes, interestingly. Two other Leicester-based prospects see competitive action on the undercard at the atmospheric, low-roofed Aylestone Leisure Centre: exciting light-middleweight Lester Walsh, 1-1-1 and who boxes first-timer Luke Osman, and light-heavyweight first-timer Shaun Warner, who meets Rotherham southpaw Ricky Strike. Derbyshire's Liam Anthony, a European cadet bronze medallist, makes his professional debut. Ticket information is available from Paul Carpenter on 07828-595309.

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