Pearce: Taking title will put me back on track (From Stourbridge News)

Pearce: Taking title will put me back on track

5:00pm Thursday 28th February 2013 in Sport

STEVEN Pearce says winning the Midland Area welterweight title on Friday night will get his career back on track.

The 28-year-old will face Luke Gallear for the crown at Burton Town Hall, after stepping in as a late replacement when Joel Ryan withdrew due to illness.

Pearce was in training for a six round bout against William Warburton in Wolverhampton on March 9 but didn’t hesitate to accept the title shot after being called by promoter Errol Johnson on Monday night.

Despite the late notice, Pearce views it as an opportunity to quickly banish the memories of his maiden defeat to Glenn Foot in last month’s high-profile Prizefighter tournament.

He said: “I didn’t feel there was any way I could turn it down.

“After losing in Prizefighter things could have gone one of two ways but I’ve knuckled down, I’m watching my diet and I’m fitter than I was before.

“I wasn’t happy with the way things went on the night and this is a chance to get back on the up.

“My ticket sales for the show in Wolverhampton weren’t going as well as usual and I think it’s because people like to back a winner.

“This is a chance to win back my following and put myself in a position to challenge for bigger titles further down the line.”

Pearce was already pencilled in to face the winner of Friday’s contest and Walsall fighter Ryan, who pulled out due to a chest infection, would more than likely be his first defence should he be victorious.

The security worker has no fears over stepping up to a ten- round distance, as he does not believe the fight will last that long.

He said: “I don’t want it to go ten rounds and I don’t think it will, one of us is going to go.

“I’m a come forward fighter and from what I’ve been told, he is the same.”

Pearce is joined on the bill by unbeaten training partner Kyle Spencer, who takes on Swadlincote rookie Jimmy Price in a light-middleweight contest.