MICHAEL Jennings’ trainer believes the Chorley fighter still has the potential to earn a fight with Floyd Mayweather in the future, after insisting he does not get the credit he deserves for his performances.

Brian Hughes, who works with Jennings at the Collyhurst and Moston Lads Club in Manchester, was furious that Sky Sports did not show any of the welterweight’s impressive eight-round points victory over Laszlo Komjathi last week and believes there is a lack of respect for fighters who have the skills to avoid the big punches.

Hughes thinks Jennings’ technical style means the 32-year-old, like Mayweather on the world stage, will never be fully appreciated for the talent he possesses.

But, after the former WBU world champion was stopped inside five rounds by Miguel Cotto at Madison Square Garden in February, Jennings’ trainer remains confident that he can once again earn a fight against one of boxing’s big names.

“Without a shadow of a doubt he can show more than he did against Cotto,” said Hughes.

“The one person I’d like to see him box is Floyd Mayweather.

“I think that would be a brilliant fight. It would be a thinking man’s fight rather than a slugging game.

“And I do think he can still get there. I can’t see any reason why not.

“He can get to that level. It’s just down to what he shows now. He can be as good as he wants to be.

“He’s 32 years of age but he fought like a 23-year-old last week.

“And when he won the WBU title (in 2007) he beat Takaloo, who was a very dangerous knock-out puncher.

“He fights like a young man and it’s up to him how far he goes.”

Jennings, whose fight with Cotto was screened across the United States, had been scheduled to top the bill at last week’s event at Liverpool’s Echo Arena – when he was due to face Kell Brook for the British title.

Sky Sports had been due to screen the entire fight but opted not to show any of his non-title bout with Komjathi, which was arranged at short notice after Brook withdrew with a viral infection.

The television company instead concentrated on a British title contest between Paul Smith and Tony Quigley as well as Olympians James DeGale and Frankie Gavin, also showing segments of fights involving lesser-known boxers Jamie Cox and Tony Bellew.

Hughes described Jennings’ performance against Komjathi as ‘immaculate’ after the Lurcher won every round and showed his skills to avoid being hit.

But the trainer bemoaned the fact that television wanted only ‘slugfests’ and warned that such contests are more likely to produce the sort of injuries that Jason Rushton – a boxer Jennings beat on points last November – sustained a week ago when he was hospitalised following swelling of the brain.

Hughes said: “Mike put on a display in the noble art of boxing.

“My children are too old now but if any of my grandchildren were to take it up, that’s how I would want them to box.

“For a connoisseur like me, that’s what I want to see.

“Sky should have put that on so kids could look at it and see how to fight, particularly after last week when the lad got taken to hospital.

“But the television companies don’t want that. They want blood, knock-outs and a slugging match.

“The people with skills don’t get appreciated. It’s the same with Mayweather, look at what the Americans say about him.

“Instead, Sky showed James DeGale fighting some young Scottish lad.

"It wasn’t a contest. I’ve been in the sport for 40 years and I’m disillusioned by it now.”