By Elliot Foster

Martin J Ward has had his first fight of the New Year pencilled in.

The WBC International super featherweight champion, 24, was set to box on the undercard of Anthony Joshua’s seven-round stoppage of Dillian Whyte at the O2 Arena last Saturday.

But Ward (12-0-2, 6 KOs), who hasn’t boxed since going the distance with Sergio Blanco in Hull back in August, was forced off the card at late notice after his opponent, Miguel Gonzalez, pulled out and a suitable foe couldn’t be found in time for him to compete in the scheduled six-round outing.

He is now set to feature on the undercard of former three-time world title challenger George Groves’ comeback at the Copper Box Arena, live on Sky Sports, on January 30.

Former double Carl Froch victim Groves (21-3, 16 KOs) will come up against current EU super middleweight champion Andrea Di Luisa (18-3, 14 KOs), just over four months after losing his third world title challenge at the hands of WBC king Badou Jack in Las Vegas.

Elsewhere, John Wayne Hibbert will defend his Commonwealth super lightweight title against WBA Continental champion Tommy Martin.

Hibbert, who also holds the WBC International title at 140lbs, won the titles in his last fight against Dave Ryan in September, while Martin stopped Michael Devine inside 10 rounds to claim the aforementioned fringe WBA crown.

Meanwhile, John Ryder will feature in a 12-round tussle with Belarusian hitman Sergey Khomitsky, who has become something of a Brit-slayer of late, for the vacant WBA International middleweight title.

Brentwood’s Kris Agyei-Dua defends his Southern Area super welterweight title against unbeaten Chadwell Heath man Ben Hall in an Essex derby.

Wiltshire’s Kelvin Young faces unbeaten Croydon southpaw Leon McKenzie in an eliminator for the English super middleweight title, plus there’s action for undefeated stars Ohara Davies, Lucien Reid and Craig Richards.

And Liverpool super middleweight Paul Smith, who has been unsuccessful in both of his career world title challenges against Arthur Abraham in Germany, will make his comeback on the card over eight rounds, before potentially coming up against St Helens’ Martin Murray on April 2 at his home city's Echo Arena, while Reece Bellotti, Ted Cheeseman and Jake Ball are all set to lace up the gloves once again.

Elliot Foster is part of Boxing Scene's UK team. Follow him on Twitter @FreelanceFoz