By Elliot Foster

Jake Ball has been handed the opportunity to win a title this weekend.

The Lightwater light-heavyweight was set for action over just eight rounds on Saturday, exclusively live on Sky Sports.

But the 23-year-old, who’ll take on JJ McDonagh, will now vie for the vacant WBA International crown at the weight at Wembley’s SSE Arena.

Ball (7-0, 6 KOs) was last in action on September 29 at York Hall when he scored a two-round knockout and he’ll be looking for a similar showing against the former Prizefighter contestant (13-3, 6 KOs).

The news was announced via Ball’s Twitter account on Wednesday afternoon.

McDonagh, 30, hasn’t fought since April when he outpointed Darren Cruise over 10 rounds at the K2 Leisure Centre in Crawley to retain the Irish super-middleweight title.  

The card on which the fight between Ball and McDonagh is on, billed ‘Big City Dreams’, features the professional debut of Irish amateur sensation Katie Taylor, the return of former IBF flyweight world title challenger Charlie Edwards and Martin J Ward’s first defence of the British super-featherweight crown against Ronnie Clark of Dundee.

Ted Cheeseman faces Lloyd Ellett in an eliminator for the English super-welterweight title and Danny Dignum makes his professional bow on a card which plays host to Ohara Davies’ challenge of ex-Hibbert foe Andrea Scarpa of Italy for the WBC Silver super-lightweight belt and Ben Hall’s meeting with Carson Jones for the vacant WBC International Silver super-welterweight title.

Meanwhile, John Wayne Hibbert faces late replacement Martin Gethin over 10 rounds, while Jack Healy features and there is action for Felix Cash and Craig Richards.

IN OTHER NEWS

Reece Bellotti will fight for his first title on the bill.

The undefeated featherweight prospect will face Ian Bailey for the vacant English title.

Their clash had been set as an official eliminator for the belt, but the British Boxing Board of Control approved a request by promoter Eddie Hearn for the fight to be for the title which was recently vacated by Ryan Doyle.