Chapel’s Jack Massey targets WBO European Cruiserweight glory

The 25 year-old from Chapel-le-Frith is set to fight on manager Kevin Maree’s show in Blackburn on Saturday, March 30. Provided he wins, Massey should then fight for the WBO European cruiserweight championship live on BT Sport, possibly in April. Because of injuries, Massey only boxed twice last year and said: “This will be my year. “I’m looking to get the WBO European title and then maybe go for the British title as well. I’m 25 now and this is the time for me to step up and fight for big titles on television. I have boxed on big shows without getting on TV. I want to get noticed this year.” Massey thought he was going to get some exposure on the Josh Warrington-Carl Frampton undercard in Manchester in December. His fight with Jiri Svacina would have been screened live on BT Sport had there been early finishes to any of the undercard fights. As it turned out, every fight went the distance and the arena was virtually empty by the time Massey fought. “I had my hands wrapped at four thirty,” he said, “but didn’t get in the ring until 10 past midnight. That’s a long time to be waiting. It takes it out of you. It’s stressful.” Massey was happy with the fourth-round stoppage in his first fight under Maree. He said: “I needed to have a manager I can have a good relationship with and that’s Kevin. He comes to the gym two or three times a week, watches the sparring and rings me up in the evenings to ask me how I’m doing. That’s what I want from a manager.” Tickets for the show in Blackburn are available from mareepromotions.co.uk