Boxing: Kenny Anderson handed tougher fight for title eliminator

EDINBURGH super-middleweight Kenny Anderson has been handed a tougher fight in his eliminator clash for the British title after the British Board of Boxing Control replaced scheduled opponent Carl Dilks with former champion Tony Quigley.

The Liverpool boxer, who lost a split decision to reigning British champion Paul Smith and stopped Welshman Nathan King, who took Anderson the distance before losing in a Celtic title clash in Glasgow, has been nominated to fight Anderson with purse offers to be in Board hands by 12 May.

A spokesman for Anderson said: "This is definitely a harder task for Kenny than boxing Carl Dilks as Quigley gave Paul Smith a really hard fight, but I'm sure that Kenny will give this chance his best shot."

Meanwhile, Edinburgh middleweight Craig McEwan – unbeaten as a pro in the US – has been given a huge vote of confidence by his coach Freddie Roach, who said: "I believe that, right now, Craig is ready to fight and beat current world middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik, so I'm aiming to get Craig a shot at Pavlik by the end of the year.''

McEwan, who is from West Hailes, was naturally ecstatic, saying: "A world title fight against Kelly Pavlik would be a dream come true but, in the short term, I'd like to fight England's Matthew Macklin as a lead up to the Pavlik world title shot, especially as Macklin has said he wants to come and fight in America; I'd happily accommodate him."

• THREE Craigmillar boxers – bantamweight Brodie Robertson, lightweight Tony James and light-heavyweight Lee Dailly – will box tonight in Kilsyth against local west coast opposition.