Tom Dallas in action last year Picture: Barry Goodwin

by Luke Cawdell

Tom Dallas returns to the ring in February and a potential step into the unknown.

The Chatham heavyweight, with 12 wins from 12 contests, has been provisionally paired with Zambia’s national champion Francis Zulu for the Brentwood show.

Zulu’s previous 20 bouts have all been in the African continent and he boasts a record of 15 wins, three defeats and two draws.

Manager Mark Roe will just be glad to get Dallas back in action.

Roe said: "After Brentwood he’ll be out again in March (in Medway) and then May.

"Francis will be a lively opponent and he’s had some wins but it’s very difficult to find out about fighters coming out of Africa."

Zulu won the Zambian title in 2009 with a second round knockout of Jackson Ackim Nyirenda. His beaten opponent subsequently accused him of using "charms" in the ring to make himself invisible and demanded a re-match, something Zulu has not taken up.

Dallas, who is signed up with promoter Frank Maloney, hasn’t fought since a TKO win over Paul Morris at The Troxy, London in October and Roe wants his fighter to stay sharp.

"He’s raising his game and needs to be kept busy," said Roe. "It doesn’t look like Frank can do that.

"We’ve taken the bull by the horns and if he can get three or four fights in during this year then Tom will be ready to be challenging for something. It’s a big year for him."

Dallas could meet Paul Butlin, who is ranked number 17 in Britain, in the much-anticipated home show at Medway Park in March and reports from the north east suggest unbeaten Romianian Lucian Bot, now based in Blackpool, is keen to meet the Chatham fighter.