By Elliot Foster
Derry Mathews is set for a major world title fight in the near future.
The news of the likeable Liverpool lightweight’s turn up in fortunes came after it was announced that he had given up his WBA interim title.
Mathews, who has been linked with a fight against WBO champion Terry Flanagan since the Mancunian won the title back in July, is scheduled to fight over eight rounds on December 19 at the Manchester Arena, live and exclusive on BoxNation.
But a big opportunity is to be revealed this week for the 32-year-old, with the shot at a world title planned for early in the new year –– after he has fought on the undercard of Andy Lee’s WBO middleweight title defence against mandatory challenger Billy Joe Saunders.
“[I] have vacated my title for a reason,” Mathews said. “The WBA haven’t stripped me.
“My management team will be announcing [something big] soon.”
Kevin Mitchell, the Matchroom Boxing-promoted former world title challenger, who was stopped by Jorge Linares in a challenge for the Venezuelan’s WBC crown back in May, will vie for the vacant WBA interim lightweight title against Linares’ fellow countryman, Ismael Barroso, on December 12 at the O2 Arena in London, live on Sky Sports Box Office.
Barroso, a 32-year-old southpaw, was mandatory to the title when Mathews had it and will provide a stiff test for 31-year-old Mitchell, who challenged for Ricky Burns’ WBO title in 2012.
Aforementioned Barroso was Mathews’ mandatory challenger for the interim crown and the fight had been set to take place earlier this month, but Mathews knew that there was something big on the horizon and chose to bide his time.
He said: “They’re saying if Mitchell beats Barroso, he’s mandatory for the full title, [but the] WBA make [up their] own rules.
“I’m the only interim champion ever to have had a mandatory, but I have to thank [my promoter] Frank [Warren] and my manager Daniel [Kinahan of MGM Marbella] for all the hard work they’ve done.”
Mathews’ promoter has said that ‘Dirty’ now has his next two fights mapped out and further news on the new year world title fight will be revealed in due course.
Elliot Foster is part of Boxing Scene's UK team. Follow him on Twitter @FreelanceFoz
