THE 'Burnley Bulldog' Warren Stowe makes his ring comeback next Thursday night with his sights set on landing another title before he hangs up his gloves.

Stowe heads a seven-fight bill at the Turf Moor Leisure Centre when he will take on Midlands Area light heavyweight champion Darren Ashton.

Thirty-year-old Ashton has a decent track record, having only lost on points to current British and European champion Clinton Woods and been in with two other national title holders.

But former Northern Area title winner Stowe, now 34, remains confident of marking a 16-month absence from the ring with victory in the non-title bout.

"I'm not bothered. I'll fight anybody, anywhere. I'm ready for it. I've trained so hard," said Stowe, who has shed two stones towards his ultimate target of fighting as a super middleweight.

And that's where he believes he can add a further title to his career record some time in the next year.

The Burnley bar owner, who has previously fought for a Penta-Continental title and in a British title eliminator, insisted: "I will guarantee some title, somewhere along the line in the next 12 months."

Stowe will be joined on the bill by Burnley's Mark Hargreaves, who will fight Birmingham's Dave Hinds at super featherweight, and Shaun Horsfall of Colne.

Bright prospect Horsfall recently won his first professional fight but faces a difficult test against tough Liverpudlian welterwight Lee Molineux. Completing the local connection is former Burnley fighter Wayne Shepherd, now based in Carlisle, who takes on Sheffield's Matt Mowat at light middleweight.

Rochdale's Mike Whittaker fights Stoke's Dean Ashton, the brother of Stowe's opponent, at middleweight, while Wigan's Lee Blundell is still to have his opponent confirmed.

Promoter Jack Doughty is pleased with the quality of the bill with tickets still available from Burnley Football Club's ticket office.

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