Mark Heffron claims Conrad Cummings turned down British title fight on Warrington-Frampton card

Conrad Cummings [15(7)-2(0)-1] co-headlines the big Belfast card at the Titanic Exhibition Centre on Friday December 7th but Mark Heffron claims he turned down a British title fight to do so.

Heffron [21(17)-0] boxes on the Josh Warrington v Carl Frampton undercard at the Manchester Arena on December 22nd and the British middleweight mandatory was due to challenge champion Jason Welborn for the Lonsdale belt.

However, Welborn pulled out as he will drop down in weight for a sensational challenge of WBA and IBF light middleweight champion Jarrett Hurd on the Deontay Wilder v Tyson Fury undercard in L.A. on December 1st.

Heffron, who is promoted by Frank Warren, remains on the Warrington-Frampton bill and will box for the now-vacant British title.

Numerous potential opponents have been floated on social media and Coalisland’s Cummings had indicated that he would be up for taking the fight on the undercard of his gym mate Frampton’s world title challenge.

The Tyrone puncher was then confirmed for the bill at the Titanic Exhibition Centre two weeks beforehand, ruling out a British title challenge but Heffron has now revealed that an offer was made to Cummings and his team which was not taken up.

In a press release sent out by Frank Warren, Heffron revealed that “it has now got back to me about Conrad Cummings as well and he has not taken it either. I think he has got something else going on.”

The unbeaten Oldham fighter of Kildare descent is extremely frustrated with the lack of willing challengers and described how “we’ve had a few names thrown at us to fight for the vacant title and every name we have said yes to, but the people it has been offered to have come back and said they don’t want the fight, so it is a bit hard work at the minute.”

“I can’t understand it, can I ‘eck, because if someone offered me the chance to fight for the British title I would grab it with both hands, which I obviously have done anyway.”

Revealing some more names that turned down the fight, Heffron continued: “Reece Cartwright got offered it and then came back not wanting it, but I don’t know for what reason, while I think Tommy Langford was asked and he is moving up a weight.”

“After that, Elliott Matthews is fighting for the Commonwealth soon, so if he wins that and I win the British then we can get it on next for both.”

“I’m not really bothered that I won’t be fighting a champion, I just want to fight for the British and it doesn’t matter who I am fighting – as long as I win!”

“I just need somebody to come forward and take the fight now.”

Whether or not Team Cummings did turn down the fight with Heffron, it seems as though ‘Mr Dynamite’ has a major bout on December 7th.

The Irish boxing grapevine suggests that this clash may be a rematch with Belfast’s Alfredo Meli, a repeat of their 2014 draw for the BBBoC Celtic title.

Cummings has bounced back from his defeat to Luke Keeler in April with successive six-round wins over Southern Area champ Nicky Jenman and journeyman Richard Hegyi and has spoken of how he is targeting the Commonwealth title that is due to be contested this month by Matthews and Nigerian Abolaji Rasheed.

An official announcement on who Cummings will face on December 7th is expected today.