Jack won't be back at Winter Gardens

Jack Arnfield's British middleweight title fight against Tommy Langford will no longer take place in Blackpool, it has been confirmed.
Jack Arnfield will no longer meet Tommy Langford at the Winter GardensJack Arnfield will no longer meet Tommy Langford at the Winter Gardens
Jack Arnfield will no longer meet Tommy Langford at the Winter Gardens

The Blackpool-based fighter is mandatory challenger for the Lonsdale Belt and was due to take on Langford at the Winter Gardens on February 10.

But his manager Steve Wood, who had initially won the purse bid for the fight, has since taken to Twitter to reveal the Blackpool show has been cancelled – with the bout set to take place on a “mega TV show” instead.

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Confirmation of the venue is expected at some point this week.

Wood said: “VIP Boxing’s planned show in Blackpool on February 10 has been cancelled as Jack Arnfield’s British title challenge to Tommy Langford will now be on a mega TV show announced next week.”

Devon-born Langford has lost just one of his 20 fights, picking up the British strap with a split decision win against Sam Sheedy in 2016.

But this will be the first defence of his title.

The title bout will be Arnfield’s first fit since overcoming Adam Jones on points in a warm-up fight in Liverpool back in November.

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On that night the 28-year-old was given a tough test in what was a competitive six-rounder.

Arnfield’s Yorkshire rival belied his poor record on paper to put up a game showing.

However, there was no question of a points shutout as Arnfield was given the verdict, 58-56 by Fleetwood referee Steve Gray.

That came eight months after Arnfield had seen off Brian Rose in what was dubbed “the Battle of Blackpool”.

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Arnfield, who has won 25 out of his 27 fights, settled his local rivalry with Rose after completing a points victory over the fellow Blackpool man when they met at Manchester Arena.

He claimed the bragging rights after grinding out a unanimous decision win with scores of 115-113 115-113 and 116-112, leaving Rose to contemplate his future in the sport.

Tempers had flared at the pre-fight weigh-in, with the former gym-mates clashing heads, but it was Arnfield who was ultimately victorious in an admittedly tentative encounter.

This will be the second time Arnfield, the reigning World Boxing Association international middleweight champion, has challenged for the British belt.

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He had lost to the now retired Nick Blackwell via an unanimous decision back in 2015.

The winner of the fight will face either Mark Heffron or Liam Cameron next, after the two were ordered to fight in a final eliminator.

That fight has been ordered to go through purse bids and the fight must take place by the end of April.