Esham Pickering will have revenge in mind when he rematches with undefeated Michael Hunter for the European super-bantamweight championship later this year. After knocking Hunter down in both the first and second rounds of their October 2005 clash, Pickering, 29-4 (11KOs), allowed his opponent back into the fight and lost his EBU belt on a wafer-thin majority decision.
Now, with the European Boxing Union ordering a rematch, ’Brown Sugar’ will hopefully get his chance at vengeance.
“I mentally switched off after knocking him down last time.” Pickering said. “I allowed myself to think the fight was over but he managed to stay in the fight and beat me by one point. Personally, as the defending champ who scores the knockdowns I think I should have got the decision but I made a mistake and now, thankfully, I’ve got my chance to rectify that mistake.
“Heaven help him if he agrees to the rematch.”
Purse bids have been called for September 1. However, there are rumours that Hunter may soon vacate the title, in which case Pickering will most likely face undefeated Irishman Bernard Dunn for the vacant belt before Christmas.
Pickering’s promoter Dennis Hobson said: “Esham will fight anybody but he badly wants to set the record straight with Hunter and I hope Hunter faces him. One judge had it a draw and another had it to Hunter by one point, so I think Esham is entitled to feel a little hard done by.”
For Pickering, the EBU title chance is a welcome tonic after missing out on a world title opportunity on May 13. Pickering was due to face IBF featherweight champ Valdemir Pereira in Boston on Ricky Hatton’s undercard but was forced to pull out hurt. That Pickering’s replacement, unheralded Eric Aiken, went on to win the title only deepened the Newark switch-hitter’s sense of disappointment.
Pickering said: “I knew Pereira was nothing special and I was bit sick watching another guy beat him. But, that’s life, I’ll get my chance and my time will come. I know Dennis will get me another world title chance and in the meantime I’ll make his job easy for him by winning the European Champion again in impressive fashion.”
