Hove's Neil Linford is back with trainer Ronnie Davies ahead of his WBU light-heavyweight showdown with reigning champion Tony Oakey.

Davies quit as Oakey's trainer last week after he asked him to drop Linford from his stable.

Both men were trained by Davies in Hove but it had been agreed Oakey would have Davies in his corner for the sold-out world title clash in Portsmouth on March 29 before a row erupted with Oakey accusing Davies of disloyalty.

Linford, who had been preparing under manager Kevin Sanders, said: "I am back with Ronnie. After all, he is my trainer at the end of the day.

"I was professional about the situation when the fight was matched and myself and Tony agreed that it was just a business arrangement. I am surprised at Tony as he has turned this into something we wanted to avoid.

"He gave an impractical ultimatum to Ronnie to drop me when we had agreed this was just business."