Rock returns to familiar ground

Boxing News round-upFollowing months of consideration over whether he should have hung up his gloves following his defeat by Iranian-born Takaloo last February, Jim Rock's questions will be answered tonight in Belfast's Ulster Hall.

The Dublin middleweight, whose bid for the WBU title ended after his opponent put him on the canvas for the first time in his career, goes into his first bout in eight months in what is expected to be a tough assignment against unbeaten Welshman Alan Jones.

At the heart of the comeback, which is how it is seen as a disillusioned Rock said the Takaloo fight was his last before recanting a day later, is Rock's belief that a world title is still within reach. At 31, he is out to prove, under the watchful eye of Belfast trainer John Breen, he is not too old to achieve a life-long boxing ambition.

Rock injured his knee in a car crash a few weeks after that defeat, which forced him out of the gym for six months. Soon after the fighter was approached by his manager, Brian Peters, and asked to decide whether to continue to fight when he still had the opportunity and years on his side, or, retire.

Rock is looking at the WBU middle or super middleweight belts and although one fight won't get him involved in that straight away, a win over the 27-year-old Jones, who has had nine wins and a draw, would send out the right signals. The fact Jones's manager contacted Rock's management indicates a degree of confidence in the Welsh camp.

A number of other Irish fighters are on the bill including the impressive featherweight Kevin O'Hara (22), who has five wins from five. The former Immaculata boxer faces another Welsh opponent Henry James (2-2).

Peters's rising star in the US, Bernard Dunne, is also hoping to reach a modest milestone in his career when he meets Mexican Alejandro Ramirez over six rounds on November 7th in Tucson, Arizona. Dunne is expected to make it 10 wins out of 10 as a pro before beginning a more concerted push to bigger fights in the New Year.

Already, the young Dubliner has won eight of his fights inside the distance and although virtually unknown in Ireland, as he works out of the Freddie Roach gym in Los Angeles, eight of the bouts have been shown on US cable networks.

Neil Sinclair has finally secured a bout for December 13th for the vacant WBU welterweight title. The Belfast fighter meets Jimmy Vincent at the MEN Arena in Manchester on the under card to Ricky Hatton's contest against Ben Tackie.