DUDLEY’s Darren McDermott will be aiming to come back with a big bang this Saturday when he fights for the English middleweight title at the NIA.

Macca will return to the ring for the first time since he was pulled out of his British middleweight title shot against Wayne Elcock at Wolverhamption Civic Hall last June due to a cut.

McDermott and his vocal band of supporters will converge on Birmingham for a mouth-watering match-up with champion Steve Bendall.

The Black Country Bodysnatcher is keen to re-ignite his career and make up for lost time.

He said: “I watched the Elcock fight back for the first time this week and It’s got me bubbling with excitement because I know I would have won that fight.

“On the night I was disappointed for fans and I will be looking to give them something to celebrate this Saturday.

“I just can’s wait to get back into the ring and make up for lost time.”

A confident McDermott has set himself a list of targets but first and foremost he is solely concentrating on Coventry-based Bendall and the English title.

He added: “I want to be challenging for the British title and the Commonwealth crown but I’m experienced enough to know you must take it one fight at a time and my sights are solely set on Bendall.

“He’s someone you take lightly at your peril and as his record shows he’s vastly experienced having been in the ring with all the top boys.”

In the build-up to the fight McDermott has had an enforced training camp reshuffle.

Due to work commitments his brother Jason has had to relinquish his role as trainer so former Dudley amateur and professional boxing star Shaun Cooper has taken over.

The long-time friends, who both learnt their trade from Ronnie Brown at Dudley ABC, have struck up a great working relationship and McDermott believes Cooper’s input will only hone his skills even further.

He said: “My brother’s had to take a backward step due to work commitments but in Shaun I’ve got the ideal replacement.

“We are good friends anyway so it’s been a pretty straightforward transition.

“Shaun was a top boxer in his own right and was somebody I always looked up to and admired when I was a young amateur so I’m delighted to have him on board.”

Topping the NIA bill will be Matt Skelton’s defence of his Commonwealth heavyweight title against Martin Rogan.

The undercard will also feature the feature the debuts of Olympic gold medallist James DeGale and fellow Great Britain team-mates Frankie Gavin and Billy Joe Saunders.