Mr Block wants his belt back

Shane McPhilbin will attempt to win back a title he believes is rightfully his tomorrow night.

The Nottinghamshire man takes on Jon Lewis Dickinson for the vacant British cruiserweight crown at Liverpool's Echo Arena, but if things had have been different back in March he'd still have the Lonsdale belt in his possession.

After defeating Leon Williams to win the bauble in January, McPhilbin defended against former WBO champion Enzo Maccarinelli in a contest which soon descended into farce.

McPhilbin knocked the Welshman down with a left hand in the opening session and seemed to be heading to stoppage victory when the action resumed, only for the bell to ring 47 second early.

Maccarinelli recovered to win the fight on points, but later failed a drugs test for methylhexaneamine, a dietary supplement which appears on WADA's banned substance list.

"The fight should have gone down as a no contest because he took a substance that was illegal and helped him win the fight," McPhilbin told HattonBoxing.

"Regardless of what happened with the 47 seconds, that makes the result a joke.

"It did my head in at first but I've got over it now and all my focus is on the fight in front of me and not in the past.

"I should still have the British belt and hopefully come Saturday night it'll be back in the rightful owner's hands.

"The British belt is one of the best in world. It's beautiful and it looks even better around my waist (laughs)".

McPhilbin, who has spent some time training with the 23^rd Pioneer Regiment in Bicester, admits he hasn't seen much of Dickinson but still feels confident that he has the North East boxer's number.

"I only know him from when he boxed one of my mates, Tyrone Wright, who he ended up losing to because of a damaged eye, but he looks like a good stand-up boxer who likes to come forwards," he said.

"I think I've got the tools and I don't think he'll be ready for what I've got to offer."

However, despite him being the former champion McPhilbin is considered to be the underdog in this contest. It's a position which he's been in before and doesn't faze him.

"When I won the British title everyone thought I was going to be punchbag and Leon Williams would blow me away in one round," he recalled.

"But I went down there to do the business and that's what I'm going to do again on Saturday." 

By Andrew Wake