Swindon boxer Kelly Morgan hopeful over injury comeback

KELLY Morgan will make her long-awaited return to boxing in September – providing her operation goes to plan.

The WBC Silver middleweight champion has not fought since September last year and was diagnosed with fourth nerve palsy at the end of February.

The injury, which was causing Morgan to have permanent double vision, put her dreams of a world title shot against super-middleweight champion Nikki Adler, who will now defend her WBC belt against two-time Olympic champion Claressa Shields next month, on hold.

But 37-year-old Morgan will have keyhole surgery on August 8 to release the muscle, with the hope that she can start sparring again two weeks later.

Should it all go to plan, then the 2002 Commonwealth Games javelin bronze medallist will return in a six-round contest on September 23 at the Play Football Arena on a Neilson Boxing show.

Morgan’s trainer and manager Richard Farnan told the Advertiser: “At the moment, everything hinges on August 8.

“It is a relatively unobtrusive operation where they just release the muscle and, we are told, by the consultant, that she should be able to get back into the ring two weeks later.

“If it goes to plan then Kelly will have a six-rounder in September, probably another before the end of the year and then we can start looking at who we can fight for a world title.”

Although frustrated at missing out on a fight with Adler this year, Farnan is hopeful that Morgan will still get her chance to fight for the WBC belt.

However, he believes the biggest threat to the division comes from Hartlepool’s Savannah Marshall, who is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and will make her debut on the undercard of Floyd Mayweather’s clash with UFC star Conor McGregor.

“I think that the Claressa Shields-Nikki Adler fight is 50-50, but I fancy Kelly to beat both of them,” Farnan said.

“With Savannah coming into the mix now – she is probably the most dangerous of the lot. Does Mayweather look to fast track her? I don’t know.

“There are four big names in the super-middleweight division with Kelly, Claressa, Nikki and Savannah and I think at some point they will all fight each other.”

Source: Michael Reeves http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/sport/15401872.BOXING__Kelly_hopeful_over_comeback/