Paul Butler Back On Okolie vs. Chamberlain Card, Feb 3 In London

By Elliot Foster

Paul Butler has had his ring return confirmed –– and fans will have to travel.

The former IBF bantamweight world champion, who is now under the Matchroom Boxing umbrella and promoted by Eddie Hearn, is still set to be added to Amir Khan’s undercard in Liverpool later this year.

But Ellesmere Port’s Butler has been out since last September, when he became mandatory for the WBA ‘regular’ title with a win against Stuart Hall, and will box in London next month.

The 29-year-old (25-1, 13 KOs) has been added to the same bill as the cruiserweight grudge match between Lawrence Okolie and Isaac Chamberlain at the O2 Arena in Greenwich, exclusively live on Sky Sports, on February 3.

‘The Baby-Faced Assassin’ is expected to get a routine win on the card before boxing again at the ECHO Arena on April 21, as part of ‘King’ Khan’s comeback, potentially in a world title fight.

A press conference is set to take place next week, formally confirming both the names that will be on the ‘Back To Business’ bill and the identity of Khan’s foe after nearly two years out.

But it is understood that ‘Miss GB’ Natasha Jonas, along with fellow former Team GB star Anthony Fowler and Commonwealth Games gold medal winner Scott Fitzgerald will see action on Khan’s card.

Tom Farrell, should he come through his scheduled March 10 return at the Auditorium at the BT Convention Centre unscathed, is also expected to feature.

Also on the Okolie vs. Chamberlain ‘British Beef’ card, Ted Cheeseman is facing a step-up in opponent after agreeing to take on former Kell Brook foe Carson Jones and Reece Bellotti is returning in a defence of his Commonwealth featherweight title against Ben Jones.

Felix Cash, who ended 2017 with a one-round stoppage in December, will box for the first time in the New Year, while former Team GB star Joshua Buatsi will box alongside former world title challenger Charlie Edwards, Danny Dignum and Commonwealth Games gold medallist Sean McGoldrick.