By Shaun Brown

Bob Ajisafe (16-2, 7 KOs) has told Boxing Scene he may vacate his British light heavyweight title.

The 30-year-old Yorkshireman won the title in March 2014 after an entertaining 12-round scrap with Dean Francis, which doubled up as a quarter-final of Hennessy Sports' inaugural Maxi Nutrition knockout tournament. An event that Ajisafe would go on to win forcing Matty Clarkson to retire in the fourth round of their final eight months later.

However, since then the southpaw hasn't defended his Lonsdale belt but did pick up the Commonwealth version in June this year when he knocked out Daniel Wanyonyi in the fourth round of their contest in Bristol.

Trained by Dominic Ingle, Ajisafe is keen to make his mark on the international scene in 2016 and gain a respectable world ranking. As it stands Ajisafe holds a ranking of 28 with the WBC and is without a top 15 position in any of the other three governing bodies.

"I think I'm going to vacate the British," Ajisafe told Boxing Scene.

"The money really isn't there defending it. Where as I could move on to world level now!"

Ajisafe had been linked to a fight with South Africa's Thomas Oosthuizen in 2015 with nothing ever materialising. The British champion looked set to defend his title for the first time against Miles Shinkwin in 2016 after promoter Frank Warren won the purse bids for the contest.

"I've been British champion a while now," said Ajisafe.

"In order to progress on to the next chapter of my career I'll have to kick on.

"I don't think there's any challenges left for me domestically. I've proven I'm the best and a good few levels above British [level].

"I need a breakthrough fight on the world scene and 2016 is the year it has to happen."

Shaun Brown is Boxing Scene's UK News Editor. Follow him on Twitter @sbrown2pt0 Contact him at sbrownboxing@gmail.com