CONTENDER Gym trainer Mark Kent concedes that even more potential opponents could be left running scared if Nick Blackwell shines in Monte Carlo tomorrow night.

‘Bang Bang’ Blackwell is set to go toe-to-toe with Sergey Khomitsky at the Salle des Étoiles hall at the Sporting Monte Carlo complex and was this week handed a further boost with the news that he is in line for a third shot at the British middleweight title, with the Trowbridge fighter in line to fight the winner of Billy Joe Saunders and Chris Eubank Jr’s showdown for the Lonsdale belt on November 29.

Blackwell was paid by Saunders and Eubank Jr’s promoter Frank Warren to temporarily step aside from his position as the mandatory challenger for the British title but trainer Kent is predicting that organising his showpiece showdown could be anything but straightforward.

“We’ve been paid a substantial amount of money to step aside and I’ve never known anyone want to make that happen so much – it’s because it’s the fight that British boxing fans want to see,” said the Contender Gym boss.

“They had to let him fight on the undercard of that show (at London’s ExCel Arena) and the winner has to fight Nick within 90 days.

“If Saunders wins, he’ll vacate it and move on but if Eubank wins, would he want to fight Nick? It could end up being against John Ryder but again, would he want to get in the ring with Nick?

“The word’s got out there with Nick, which is a lot to do with all the sparring he’s been doing, and if he stops Khomitsky, that’s just going to be a huge statement.

“Martin Murray will be there on Saturday and there’s a lot of respect between him and Nick because Nick was the only one that would step up and fight him (in 2011). (Gennady) Golovkin is also going to be there because he could end up fighting Murray, so there’s a nice roundabout there.”

Kent added: “Nick’s the strongest I’ve seen him. He’s filling out and getting bigger and I think that he’ll end up moving up to super-middle in a year’s time.”