By Elliot Foster
Charlie Edwards (6-0, 3 KOs) and Luke Wilton (16-4-1, 7 KOs) have been handed a timely boost ahead of their British title eliminator showdown this weekend.
The pair, who will battle it out at the Manchester Arena on Saturday, exclusively live on Sky Sports Box Office, meet head-on for the chance to face Andrew Selby for the vacant Lonsdale belt in their next fight.
But the 10-round clash, which is part of the undercard to the super bantamweight world title unification fight between Belfast’s IBF champion Carl Frampton (21-0, 14 KOs) and WBA Super titlist Scott Quigg (31-0-2, 23 KOs) of Bury, is now of extra significance after it was confirmed that the vacant WBC International flyweight crown will now be at stake.
English champion Edwards, 23, who retained his national accolade with a stoppage at the same venue back in November, told Boxing Scene that he is delighted that the fringe title, which will get the winner a world ranking, has been brought to the table.
He said: “Once I beat Luke Wilton it ranks me into the top 15 in the world [and] then hopefully I [can] look to target the Silver world title.
“[I will] then [look to] push on to a world shot later this year or next year,” he concluded, “but first of all I have a job in hand and can't look past Wilton.”
Wilton is well known to the English fans as he came to challenge Kevin Satchell (14-0, 3 KOs) for the British and Commonwealth titles in Liverpool back in February, 2013.
He has also been in the opposite corner against current world bantamweight champion Lee Haskins.
And although the WBC International crown is now involved in the fight, Wilton’s undefeated opponent Edwards isn’t discarding the British title opportunity that would present itself with a win.
“[The British title] is still something I really want, but I have to take every opportunity as it comes and [follow the path of] what's best for my career.
“[My career is in the hands of] MGM Marbella and [promoter] Eddie Hearn and I'm with the best team out there so I have full trust in their decisions.”
Elsewhere on the pay-per-view card, which is co-promoted by Matchroom Sport and Cyclone Promotions, Gavin McDonnell (14-0-2, 4 KOs) faces Jorge Sanchez (15-0, 9 KOs) for the vacant WBC Silver super bantamweight title in an official eliminator for the world title, while Manchester’s Hosea Burton (14-0, 5 KOs) faces Miles Shinkwin (12-0, 6 KOs) for the vacant British light heavyweight title and Belfast’s Ryan Burnett (12-0, 9 KOs) takes on Frenchman Anthony Settoul (21-4, 8 KOs) for the vacant WBC International bantamweight title.
Belfast’s Marco McCullough (14-2, 9 KOs) faces Morecambe’s Isaac Lowe (11-0-1, 4 KOs) for the vacant Commonwealth featherweight title, while there’s action for Commonwealth gold medal duo Josh Taylor (3-0, 3 KOs) and Scott Fitzgerald (debut) as well as Conrad Cummings (7-0-1, 3 KOs) and Marcus Morrison (8-0, 6 KOs).
