Special Kays

Jon Kays

Boxing:

ENGLISH super-featherweight champion Jon ‘2 Smokes’ Kays is gearing up for another special night in Oldham next month.

Hurst Cross-based Kays (30) is topping the eagerly-awaited bill at the Sports Centre on March 8, when he defends his title for the first time against West Midlands battler Lee Glover.

A former amateur star, whose professional record now reads 17 wins and a draw from 21 fights, Kays — who trains at the Boarshaw Gym — won his title at a packed-out Sports Centre in October.

Kevin Hooper was deservedly beaten amid an electric atmosphere, and now Kays is targeting a repeat outcome in four weeks.

“I actually won an international masters title earlier in my career, but that was just minor in comparison to the English, which can be a stepping stone to the British, which is a different level again.

“That’s the goal now, to defend my English title and then look at the mix for the British.”

While Kays already has his sights set on British title contenders Gary Sykes and Liam Walsh, his Lonsdale belt ambitions must be stifled for now.

Kays added: “I can’t afford to be complacent. I’m 100 per-cent focused on Lee Glover and I can’t look beyond that. Hopefully March 8 will be another successful night, and then I can start looking at bigger and better things.”