Boxing: Green light for Ando bid

KENNY ANDERSON today praised the Board of Boxing Control for mapping out a clear path for his British supermiddleweight title challenge.

The Edinburgh boxer has learned that his forthcoming fight with Liverpool's Tony Quigley will be a final eliminator for the right to meet the winner between reigning champion Paul Smith and Dudley's Darren McDermott.

Anderson had feared that Olympic gold medal winner James DeGale might jump the queue ahead of him should he beat Liverpudlian Carl Dilks next month in Birmingham. However, the BBBC have declared that a victory over Quigley would give Anderson first bite at the title and, if successful, he would have to defend his crown against either DeGale or Dilks.

Anderson said: "Until now, my biggest complaint was that I seemed to be in limbo with nothing but vague promises to console me while I trained hard at my training camp in Manchester. But now, thanks to a series of definite decisions by the Board of Control, I have a clear, guaranteed path towards my title shot.

"I am 100 per cent confident that I'll beat Tony Quigley when we fight - no later than November - and whoever wins between Smith and McDermott."