Update: Alex Branson-Cole’s scheduled fight is now off

Alex Branson-Cole feared when he would be able to box again earlier this year.

But now, the Faversham fighter is “more than ready” to return this Saturday after sparring with one of the best around.

Branson-Cole, 30, will head to London’s York Hall for his first competitive bout since February.

He had been due to be in action again the following month, only to be contacted by The British Boxing Board of Control.

“Something came up on the brain scan,” said Branson-Cole.

“You have to have a yearly brain scan and they queried it and that set me back for a while. I prepared myself for another show and that got cancelled, which was frustrating.

“In the short time I’ve been a pro [since early last year], that’s the fifth show I’ve had cancelled on me!

“But we have something set in stone.”

Doubts had started to creep in for Branson-Cole with his initial comeback wiped out.

“I had all these thoughts going through my head,” he noted.

“To be honest, I didn’t really know what to do. But my manager and my trainer reassured me that it’s been happening a lot recently with the newer technology [used] for the brain scans.

“Sometimes, it’s been frustrating. It’s been mentally draining but I just kept in shape for fighting, really.

“After that [his medical] got cleared, that was a big relief.

“It was a frustrating start to the year. Now, we’re in the second part of the year and things are looking a bit better.”

Middleweight Branson-Cole, trained by Ian Fleckney and working with promotions company Boxing Connected, was invited to the Matchroom Boxing Gym in Romford, east London, in the build-up to this fight.

He said: “The training has been great, really.

“I got asked to go up to the Matchroom Boxing Gym in Romford. The likes of Conor Benn and his old man, Nigel Benn, were there.

“It was a good confidence-booster and a good experience. I feel even more confident.”

Asked back week-after-week for a month, he sparred with Commonwealth and British champion Felix Cash.

“It was good,” he said.

“Sparring him was a good confidence-boost and they asked me to come back week-after-week, which was good.

“It was a bit surreal but it was a good experience.

“After the first week, I got told about the fight. I thought: ‘Oh, that works out quite well’.”

Branson-Cole is back at Bethnal Green’s York Hall this weekend, which is a prestigious UK venue, to take on the experienced Robbie Chapman.

“A lot of people keep saying that,” he noted. “But to me, it’s just another venue.

“But it’s another big achievement in my fighting career to be fighting there again.”

Fans of the man affiliated to Creekside Boxing Club plan to flock up to the capital in their numbers once again.

On ticket sales, roofer Branson-Cole said: “It’s been good.

“It’s kind of been short notice because I was meant to be boxing in Maidstone. When that got cancelled, there was three weeks’ notice.

“I have just over 60 people going, which is great. I couldn’t do it without them with the boxing fees and everything like that.

“I’ve got a coach going there and a lot of people getting the train up as well.

“I’m fighting a local lad called Robbie Chapman. He has lost a few and won a few.

“He’s a tough journeyman. But I’m ready.

“I’m more than ready, I’ve had two camps for this, so I’m ready to showcase my skills again.”