Cooke Aiming To Steal The Show
Jordan Cooke wants to steal the show once again in the Stadium Suite this weekend with a potential Midlands Area title fight on the horizon.
The 24-year-old lightweight (10-2, 3KO) takes on Lithuanian pugilist Edvinas Puplauskas (5-15, 4KO) - a late change in opponent after Michael Mooney was stopped in Norway last week.
Cooke and Aldridge’s Rachel Ball are the outliers on Saturday night’s bill, brought to the Stadium Suite at WFC The Venue by BCB Promotions, in which the Midlands Boxing Super Series quarter-finals will take place.
Alongside those four bouts for the tournament to crown the new Midlands Area Super-featherweight Champion will be Cooke taking on Puplauskas and Ball fighting Bojana Libiszewska.
It will be Coventry-born Cooke’s first bout since a points victory over the teak-tough Fonz Alexander at Villa Park back in October, the final fight of what proved a frustrating and relatively inactive year for Cooke, who fought just twice.
“I’m feeling very good and I’m looking for a busy year, to be honest,” Cooke said. “2017 was a bit frustrating for me - three or four fights and shows got cancelled.
“I was meant to have a fight in November after I beat Fonz but that show got cancelled, so I’m looking forward to starting 2018 with a bang.
“I’ve got Edvinas this weekend and he’s going to be a tougher fight than Michael.
“He’s been over here before. He’s a handy fighter from what I can see of him, and he’s quite awkward as well.
“He’s not just a random journeyman coming over to fight. I’ve done that and been through those fights before - I don’t mind a test.”
Cooke is in line for a Midlands Area Lightweight Title fight in the near future, tweeting recently that Saturday’s fight will be “six rounds on (the) bill…then onto midland title fight!”
Charlie Williams is the current titleholder, having stopped Nathan Kirk at Villa Park last October for the vacant belt - and while Cooke is unsure whether he will face Williams for the title down the line, he insists he is only focused on one fight heading into Saturday’s card at WFC The Venue.
“Charlie is currently the champion but I’m not sure if he’s going to take this fight,” said Cooke.
“If he doesn’t, I’ll take on someone else for the vacant title - but I’ve got to put all of that to the back of my mind now. “You can’t look past any opponent and I’m only focused on getting the win this weekend.
“I’m boxing at a really nice venue and I’ve got around 70 fans coming from Coventry - it’s always noisy when they come down.
“I’m looking to put a show-stealing performance on and that’s always my aim.
“I lost my first area title fight after I was being talked up - but it doesn’t disappear overnight. When people see me box, my style stands out and they can see what I’ve got.
“We’re sparring hard in the gym and working on my all-round game. I want to look good, I want to force the stoppage - he’s been stopped once before - but the main thing is going out and getting the win.
“I’d like to thank my sponsors - JPL Designs and Evolve Fitness - for all their help.”
Tickets are on sale now by contacting the boxers on Facebook or online at iboxingtickets.com. Alternatively, call the Walsall FC Box Office on 01922 651 414, extension 416. They are priced at £35 standard and £60 ringside, the latter option to include food. It will be £40 entry on the door on the night.
The Grosvenor Casino Walsall will sponsor the show and host the weigh in and after-show party (over 18s).