Boxing: Warren wants Appleby to secure a new title shot

SOUTH Queensferry's former British featherweight champion Paul Appleby has been promised a title fight by his promoter Frank Warren if he wins his next bout at Glasgow's Kelvin Hall on the undercard of the Ricky Burns versus Andreas Evansen world title clash on December 4.

Warren spokesman Richard Maynard confirmed: "If Appleby beats his selected opponent then we will immediately target Appleby for a British feather or super-featherweight title shot early in the new year.''

Appleby was seemingly unstoppable until April last year when he lost his British featherweight title to Northern Ireland's Martin Lindsay, ruining his perfect record in his 15th professional bout. He then split with manager tommy Gilmour.

However, he has returned at super-featherweight and scored impressive victories over Yordan Vasilev of Bulgaria and Coventry's Mickey Coveney in September.

And now he has much bigger objectives on his mind. "I've sparred with Alex Arthur in his WBO champion days and boxed on the same bill as present WBO super-featherweight champion Ricky Burns when he won his world crown. I want a piece of the same world title action in 2011, so winning the British title will only be a stepping stone for a world title bid next year.

"The last couple of years have been tough for me between losing my British crown and having a switch of managers but I'm now totally focussed on making my world title dream a reality.''

Meanwhile, Capital boxers still waiting to hear when they'll get to fight for Scottish Novice Championship titles aim to keep sharp by fighting this Friday. Several fighters saw their title fights delayed after last weekend's championships at Coatbridge ran over its allotted time.

So they have leapt at the chance to fight at Kinghorn's Pettycur Bay Centre this Friday against top English boxers from Nuneaton.

Queensferry lightweight finalist Lewis Paulin, Leith Victoria's British Universities featherweight champion, Jack Davies, and Queensferry's Lee Spence will also fight as a rehearsal for the Eastern District championships later this month.