MICHAEL Mooney continues to earn recognition for his performances after being handed an English title eliminator.

The Worcester boxer will go toe-to-toe with Ben Wager over 10 three-minute rounds at Barnsley’s Metrodome on November 29, with the winner going on to fight for the national crown.

It is the biggest bout of Mooney’s career since he turned professional 16 months ago and is a rematch of his points defeat he suffered back in March.

The Tolladine-based fighter said: “It’s by the biggest fight for me so far and I will be pulling out all the stops. I will be training twice a day and going for it.

“I took the fight against him before at short notice but I didn’t do badly. Over 10 round I believe it’s going to be me who wins.”

Mooney, who trains in a gym in his garden, has won his latest two bouts against Billy Morgan and Sam O’Masion, the latter by knockout on the undercard to the televised clash between Kid Galahad and Adeilson Dos Santos.

The 29-year-old, who faces Matt Seawright in a warm-up bout in Cheltenham on Friday, was also in the running for best supporting boxer at the British Boxing Board of Control awards in Birmingham last Saturday but missed out to Max Maxwell.

He also puts his recent displays down to the addition to his backroom team of strength and conditioning coach Matt Williams.

“I think he’s the key to my new success,” Mooney said.

Meanwhile, Droitwich Spa boxer Michael ‘Buller’ Pardoe was understandably pleased as punch to represent England for the first time in an international against Ireland.

The 27-year-old, who represents the Droitwich Amateur Boxing Academy and has more than 150 fights under his belt, gave a superb account of himself in the light welterweight contest against David McLaughlin in front of a sell-out crowd at Aston Villa’s Holte Suite.

The judges narrowly scored the bout in favour of the Irishman in a split decision.