Former British middleweight champion Tommy Langford will buoyantly start a “new chapter” when he steps up to 168lbs for the first time and join the super middleweight division at Walsall Town Hall on Saturday March 9.

The 29-year-old features on BCB Promotions’ show at their most often used venue, with the bill titled ‘Pride of the Midlands.’

‘The Baggies Bomber’ will have the support of West Bromwich Albion fans behind him, as a season ticket holder and columnist for the match-day programme.

The Devon-born Birmingham man began life in Bideford, but went on to settle in Birmingham as a teenager. His dad, David, was born in Dudley and he still has family in the Black Country.

A rebuilding process currently awaits Langford, after relinquishing and failing to regain the British crown in two blistering clashes with Jason Welborn.

Two barnburners with Welborn in 2018 led to him outpointed on a pair of split decisions, leading to Langford deciding to leave middleweight behind.

That journey continues with his next fight night, where six-round action will begin to get him used to the different path that lays head,

He still dreams of achievements at the top level, having previously competed for an interim WBO world title unsuccessfully.

Avtandil Khurtsidze shattered those dreams in five rounds, handing Langford what remains to date his only TKO defeat.

He’s also held the Commonwealth and WBO Inter-Continental straps during his pro career and retains a thirst for further honours.

He said: “It’s been hard to make middleweight the whole time, to be honest, and I was always big at the weight. I just didn’t feel strong by the end of it.

“I look back at a few years ago and I had more power but, in the past 18 months, I felt like it wasn’t coming through because I was weight sapped.

“When you’re a champion, you carry on going along with it but, when that’s gone, you have to admit that it’s too hard.

“All I could do to get to the limit was run like crazy but, when that goes too far, you can end up wasting away muscle.

“I’ve always had a good engine, perhaps that’s what has got me through to the end of some fights. Those two with Jason Welborn are perfect examples.

“I want a reputation for being in exciting fights and me and Jason certainly managed that. Unfortunately, I didn’t get those decisions.

“Of course, I don’t like to lose and it’s not been easy when that’s happened, but I have to move on and leave that in the past.”