Boxing: Capital trio ready to do title deeds

THREE Edinburgh boxers are poised for title challenges in the coming months.

Unbeaten middleweight Craig McEwan, Gilmerton featherweight Jason Hastie and Edinburgh British Masters welterweight champion Gary McMillan have been alerted for action.

Los Angeles-based McEwan - still to taste defeat in 19 American ring appearances - will go head to head with Irishman Andy Lee in Mashantucket, Connecticut, in a world title eliminator on March 12.

McEwan revealed: "I'm delighted by the way that my training camp is going as I've been getting good sparring with Mexican Robert Garcia and I'll soon be sparring with Serhiy Dzinziruk, who is challenging Sergio Martinez for the vacant WBC Diamond belt on the same March 12 bill at Foxwoods Casino as I am fighting Lee.''

Meanwhile, Glasgow promoter Alex Morrison has confirmed that Hastie will tussle with Aberdeen's James Ancliffe for the vacant Scottish featherweight title at Glasgow's Thistle Hotel on February 25.

"If Hastie wins the Scottish title on my February 25 bill then I will get him two further fights - including a spot on the Ricky Burns v Martinez world title bill at Braehead on March 12 against Stephen Ormond. Then I will progress him towards a British title eliminator bout.

"Jason is unbeaten in all his seven bouts and Ormond in eight fights so it would be a big step up for Hastie but I'm confident that he could win.''

Southpaw Gary McMillan, also managed by Morrison, will fight on the same Braehead bill against welterweight Michael Jennings. According to Morrison, the winner will challenge Kell Brook for his British crown.

One Capital boxer's hopes of fighting for a Scottish title in Edinburgh suffered a big setback when super-middleweight John McCallum broke his leg last week in sparring with Coatbtridge middleweight Chris Black.

Explained McCallum's promoter Paul Graham: "I'm still optimistic that John will be ready for his planned Scottish title fight in Edinburgh in April."