Boxing: Razor Rod is back at the cutting edge

Dronfield's 'Razor' Rod  Smith, 26, returns to action at Ponds Forge on Saturday night, after almost two years out of the ring.
Rod Smith - back in the groove, on Saturday, in Sheffield.Rod Smith - back in the groove, on Saturday, in Sheffield.
Rod Smith - back in the groove, on Saturday, in Sheffield.

He has a new team around him - he is promoted on a three-year contract with Kent's Joe Elfidh and trained by Michael White at the Fighting Fit Gym in Dinnington.The Gleadless-born boxer’s only career loss came (7-1) at the hands of Welshman Tom Doran in the third-round of their final eliminator for the British middleweight title in November 2015, which was Smith’s last appearance in the square ring.Smith’s best scalp so far is a points win over two-time Commonwealth title contender Liam Cameron in just his fifth fight in December 2013.

On Saturday, he is in against Harry Matthews, from York, who has been beaten in the past, by another Dronfield fighter, Lewis Taylor.

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Matthews has been in with the likes of Sheffield's Cameron, Chris Eubank Jr, Tommy Langford, Nick Blackwell and Doncaster's Luke Crowcroft.Yorkshire amateur boxing champion Kyle Fox, from Doncaster, will also be on the performing on the same Dennis Hobson show, eager to double his win tally against 36-year- old Scott Hillman (0-19) from Eastbourne.Fox dazzled in his pro debut back in March in Worksop on a JE Promotions event with a points win over Kieran Grey (8-61- 2).The 23–year-old middleweight deployed an array of flashy combinations despite giving away a few pounds in weight to his super-middleweight counterpart from Shropshire.