NICK Blackwell is refusing to get too downbeat after his long-awaited ring return was this week delayed even further.

The 23-year-old Trowbridge middleweight was set to make his televised debut under promoter Mick Hennessey at the Glow events centre, part of the Bluewater shopping complex, on October 4, but with headliner Bob Ajisafe pulling out of his British light-heavyweight title challenge against Travis Dickinson with an injury, next month's show has been cancelled.

‘Bang Bang’ Blackwell hasn’t been in the ring since his comfortable win over Terry Carruthers back in April but the Contender Gym man doesn’t expect to have to wait too long to pen another fight night in his calendar.

“It’s a shame but I should be nice and busy right through to Christmas, so it’s not all bad. I could end up fighting four times by the end of the year,” said the Trowbridge fighter.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve fought and I feel like I’ve been training for a world title fight. Back when I was fighting in Bath or Trowbridge, I could get away with not training as hard as possible.

“Back then, when I fought, the only people that would know about it could be the ones there in the hall but this time, it’s going to be in front of so many more on TV.

“So I need to look good and I need to put out a statement. It’s time to show everyone what I’m about.”

Blackwell did make it on to TV last weekend, with the Trowbridge man interviewed live alongside unbeaten middleweight rival Adam Etches following his IBF International middleweight title win over Samir Santos Barbosa in Sheffield.

But ‘Bang Bang’ was far from impressed with Yorkshireman Etches’ performance and doesn’t think that a contest between the two will happen.

Blackwell said: “I thought he’d be good but I think that he was rubbish. He was there calling out all these middleweights but I don’t think he’s on our level.

“I wanted to speak to him about a fight but they swerved it. (His camp) said that they’re going down a different route and they’re not interested in the British (title) or anything like that.”

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