ROBIN Reid is planning a ring comeback - with Carl Froch's British and Commonwealth titles firmly in his sights. The 35-year-old former WBC super-middleweight champion looked like a finished fighter when he was stopped, for the first time in his 44-fight pro career, by Jeff Lacy in Florida in August.

But Reid is back training in Brian Hughes' Collyhurst and Moston gym, and seeking a deal with a promoter which will see him back in action later this year.

Hughes is treating the return of the former Olympic bronze medallist, who he guided right to the top in 1997, with caution. He says: "I want to get him a couple of eight-rounders before he starts thinking about title fights, but Robbie definitely wants to fight on.

"I need to see if there is anything left, because it is a bit like having a footballer coming back from a long-term injury.

"Personally, I think he can still raise himself and win the British title. If he didn't box again it wouldn't bother me, but he wants to do it. He is ticking over right now and as soon as he gets something concrete he will start putting in the extra effort."

Reid missed out on fighting for the British title, being catapulted straight into his successful challenge for the WBC title after 22 domestic wins.

But if he does still have anything left after being beaten up by Lacy - who was subsequently stopped by Joe Calzaghe - in his challenge for the IBF title, a clash with `The Cobra' Froch would be very interesting.

Froch won the British title by stopping Hyde fighter Alan Page in 2003, and added the Commonwealth title the following year. His most recent defence was last month's 11th-round KO of Ulsterman Brian Magee, who was put down four times and outpointed by Reid in 2004.

Reid's stablemate and Middleton prospect Matthew Hall is still kicking his heels after just two fights in the last year.

Big-hitting Hall, who has won his 15 pro fights, nine inside the distance, was pencilled in for the show originally scheduled for the Manchester Evening News Arena on July 15.

Frustrated

But that bill looks like being called off, although a final decision will not be taken until next week.

That could mean it is September before Hall fights again, leaving him and trainer Hughes frustrated once more.

Hughes has told promoter Frank Warren that Michael Jennings and Thomas McDonagh will fight any opponent put in front of them, as the pair look to bounce back from the first defeats of their careers earlier this year.

Chorley welterweight Jennings suffered his first career defeat when he lost his British title to Young Muttley in January on a split decision, while McDonagh suffered the same fate when he challenged Wayne Alexander for the WBU light-middleweight title in March.

Says Hughes: "Both of them have to fight whoever gets put in front of them - it's the only way they can come back.

"Losing was a blow to Thomas, but it didn't dent his confidence. Against Alexander I had him winning the first seven rounds, and told him to keep doing what he was doing, because I thought he had boxed brilliantly.

"Unfortunately, he took his foot off the pedal and let Alexander back into it."

A DECISION on Frank Warren's July 15 bill at the Manchester Evening News Arena will be taken next week, though the show appears to be off.

The original headline act was the heavyweight showdown between Danny Williams and Matt Skelton, but that fight has been switched to the Cardiff show a week earlier.

There has been talk of an intriguing clash between Salford's WBU featherweight king, Stephen Foster Junior, and Wythenshawe's British champion Andy Morris as a bill-topper, but that now also appears to be unlikely.

LONDON prospect Kevin Mitchell has shied away from a head-on collision with exciting young Manchester starlet John Murray.

The two unbeaten fighters were lined up to meet in an eliminator for the British super- featherweight title but Mitchell thought better of it, leaving the field clear for Levenshulme's Murray, already holder of the World Boxing Council's youth title.

Now Murray must wait to see what happens in the other scheduled eliminator, between Ricky Burns and Craig Docherty.

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