IT has been a difficult year in terms of results in the ring for Ben Vaughan.
But the experience gained has been invaluable – and he now gets a chance to end 2025 on a high when he boxes back in his hometown on December 12 at the Mercure Hotel.
The 26-year-old from Northampton has lost two of his last three fights, but both went right to the wire, losing by majority decisions against Ekow Essuman and, most recently, against Bobby Dalton in July.
Boxing on the sold-out Nathan Heaney homecoming show, and with neither man having much support in the venue, Vaughan’s English Welterweight title fight against the unbeaten Dalton could have easily gone under the radar.
However, the two put on an incredible 10 rounds of action that had the neutral Stoke crowd up on their feet throughout.
It was a close contest, with Vaughan dominating the first half before Dalton came on strong towards the finish.
Judge Chris Dean gave it a draw, 95-95, but was overruled by Phil Edwards, 95-96, and Terry O’Connor, 93-97, who gave the decision to the man from Redcar.
“It’s my third fight in 2025 and I needed this as a chance to put some things right and end the year on a high,” said Vaughan.
“I thought I had won the fight; there are no excuses, but I was half the boxer I should have been that night, maybe less.
“There was a big part of me missing and I wasn’t myself not just during the fight but also through the camp; the whole build-up to it I felt like I was always one step behind and it showed.
“But even with that I thought I’d done enough to win and so did a lot of people in the sport who watched it.”
Despite feeling as though the result should have gone his way, Vaughan has made a few changes in his preparation for his fourteenth professional fight, bringing a nutritionist on board for the first time and is already feeling the benefits.
“Since the Dalton fight I have brought in a nutritionist and I have felt a huge change and felt so many improvements in myself,” he stated.
“I’ve taken lots from the positives and also from the negatives, I have learned loads about myself. When you are winning it’s great but being put in these positions in my last few fights where I have to bite down on my gum shield and be in difficult moments.”
Vaughan trains at the Shoe-Box gym in Northampton and is sharing the bill with several stablemates, including Nico Michael, who headlines the show against Sean Bruce for the Midlands Area Super Flyweight Title.
“It has been great to have everyone in the gym working together and pushing each other on with so many of us being on the show. The last few I have been boxing away so it’s good to be back in Northampton and put on a show ahead of a big 2026.”
The undercard features an intriguing clash between Klinton Baptiste and Toby Bassett, as well as former English title challenger Eithan James, unbeaten duo Charlie Hamilton and Callum Latimer, and the popular Dempsey Madden.
Tickets are available now, priced at £45 for general admission and £80 for VIP ringside, from the boxers directly or by emailing info@bcb-promotions.com.
