A CAREER in boxing has come full circle for Crawley's Michael Alldis.

On May 6, 1992, Alldis missed his chance to become national ABA champion when he lost in the final at the Royal Albert Hall to Harlow's Patrick Mullings.

Seven years on, it is time for revenge.

Tomorrow night Alldis faces Mullings in a showdown for the vacant British super-bantamweight crown and he is determined not to be left empty-handed again.

Since turning professional with Barry Hearn, Alldis has contested five major titles, but has lost all of them.

It began in 1995 when he lost a WBO Inter-Continental title fight on points to Spaniard Laureano Ramirez.

Seven months later he lost a controversial points decision to dual champion Billy Hardy while challenging for the European and Commonwealth featherweight titles. Hardy went on to fight Naseem Hamed.

In April 1997, Alldis was beaten by British featherweight champion Paul Ingle and then in December last year he lost to Simon Ramoni while challenging for the IBO super-bantamweight crown.

While bad decisions have dogged the outcome of two of those fights, Alldis, now 31, knows this could be his last shot at a major title and beating Mullings could be a perfect way to finally grasp a moment of glory

"A British title fight with Patrick Mullings is a dream come true for me. It is something I have worked towards for years.

"This is the most important fight of my life. I am at a stage now when a loss could be beyond the point of no return.

"I haven't even thought about losing or what I would do afterwards. If negative thoughts come into your head, you are not concentrating on what you have got to do.

"Winning this fight, though, could lead to so many things for me. It could really make me as a boxer."

In a pro career spanning 23 fights, Alldis has lost just six and has only been knocked out twice.

But he has never matched the heights of many of his amateur contemporaries, including Brighton's Scott Welch who became ABA champion on the same night Alldis lost to Mullings.

Mullings himself has gone on to win the WBC International, IBO and British super-bantamweight crowns and that makes Alldis all the more hungry for success.

"I am not worried about settling scores. I just want to win the British title and I believe I can. The venue is good for me and I am looking forward to it,"said Alldis, who has never lost in eight fights at Bethnal Green.

Mullings taunted Alldis at Wednesday's press conference by asking him to put a bet on the outcome. He was responding to suggestions that Alldis would knock him out, but Michael declined and just wants to let his hands do the talking.

"We have both beaten each other before, so we know what each other is about. I am always confident about fights and I am confident about this one.

"If I knock him out, that's great. But Pat is a durable fighter and I am prepared to go out and win it on points." Alldis, whose career was blighted by a low spell when he turned to booze, says he is more settled now and he also wants to give Crawley its first boxing hero since Alan Minter.

He added: "I am out there to win this firstly for myself and secondly for my family. But it is also a long time since the town has had a champion, not since Alan Minter, and I want to bring the title back to Crawley."

If Alldis beats Mullings on Saturday, don't expect him to be partying too late into the night.

That's because Alldis has another big contest the following morning.

Whatever the outcome of Saturday's fight, Alldis intends to turn out for his Sunday morning football team, Independence, in a crunch East Grinstead and Crawley League clash with division three promotion rivals The Sportsman. Soccer nut Alldis plays left wing-back for the team and has one goal to his name this season. He admitted: "It's great fun and it keeps me fit."

Hove welterweight Dean Larter chalked up a useful second round win over a smart Crawley opponent Sam Oats on Crawley's annual dinner show at Effingham Park.

Boxing brothers Steve and Shaun O'Brien are in action tonight on Brighton ABC's annual dinner show at the Hotel Metropole in Brighton.

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