Luke Backledge gets quality sparring with Arthur Abraham
Two-weight world boxing champion Arthur Abraham will once again look to Clitheroe fighter Luke Blackledge to help polish preparations for his rematch with Paul Smith.
Blackledge, 24, was invited out to the Armenian’s training camp in Germany ahead of his WBO world super-middleweight title defence against Serbian foe Nikola Sjekloca last year.
Abraham beat Smith via a unanimous decision in Kiel, Germany, in September with ringside judges returning two scorecards of 117-111 and another 119-109. With the rematch scheduled in Berlin on February 21st, Blackledge will fly out to the 34-year-old’s base in 12 days time.
The O2 World Arena, the venue for Abraham’s upcoming contest, was the setting for his knockout victory over Jermain Taylor in 2009 and the first bout of his trilogy against Robert Stieglitz which he won via another unanimous decision.