Coach Fannan puts Peter Cope on standby for fight

Neil Fannan is ready to unleash Peter Cope after revealing the prospect was ruled out of a title eliminator.
Peter Cope and Daniel Cope.Peter Cope and Daniel Cope.
Peter Cope and Daniel Cope.

The Hartlepool boxer has fought just once for the town trainer since his shock transfer from the Gus Robinson Developments team.

But Fannan says he has told Cope to be prepared for a short-notice fight should an opportunity arise in the coming weeks.

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Cope had been earmarked for an English lightweight eliminator with Yorkshire boxer Lee Appleyard but the date clashed with the Rainton Meadows bill on March 4, which features stablemates Martin Ward and Daniel Cope.

“Peter is training hard and is sparring well,” said the coach.

“We’ve had a couple of offers of fights but both were contests at too heavy a weight.

“The fight with Appleyard would have been ideal, but we had to pull out of that because of the date.

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“I’m confident something will come up soon that we can have a go at, wherever the opportunity might come.

“Peter is looking the part and I’m happy to get him out there.”

Cope has won 13 of his 16 contests, the only three blemishes on his record having come in title action.

The fact that he had an eliminator lined up with Appleyard in Doncaster shows he is there or thereabouts in the championship picture.

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“I’ve told Peter to get the weight down and be ready if the call comes,” added Fannan.

Elder brother Daniel is already on the title ladder, having won the vacant Northern Area welterweight last October by stopping Tom Whitfield in round eight.

The 26-year-old WILL box on the Houghton promotion on March 4 in a non-championship affair.

“Daniel wants to move on and that’s a good thing,” said Fannan.

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“It was a pressure fight for him, his first after changing gyms so people will have been focused on how he did and could he reverse the decision of his previous contest with Tom.

“This will be an opportunity to enjoy a non-pressure night.

“We’ll see closer to the time whether he’ll be doing a six [rounder] or a four.”