By Elliot Foster
Ryan Farrag hopes to begin the New Year with a bang as he plans to make an assault on the world stage in the next 12 months.
The Liverpool bantamweight, 27, became European champion earlier this year when he stopped Stephane Jamoye (28-7, 16 KOs) inside nine rounds.
Farrag (14-1, 3 KOs) ended the year with the early finish of the Belgian, who is a year his junior, at the Hall Omnisport de La Préalle in Herstal, Liege in October.
And Boxing Scene understands that his 2016 will begin with an eight-round contest in his home city, at the Echo Arena, on the undercard of Terry Flanagan’s WBO lightweight title defence against Derry Mathews on February 13 –– and the clash could be screened exclusively live on BoxNation.
After that, providing he gets through unscathed, a route is expected to be plotted to get him a world title fight, with IBF champion Lee Haskins (32-3, 14 KOs) the prime target.
“I’ve had my eye on that IBF belt for a while now, for about the past 12 months,” Farrag, who is in private negotiations with ex-champ Karim Guerfi (23-3, 6 KOs) ahead of a potential first defence of his continental crown, told Boxing Scene.
“And now that it’s over here [with Haskins], it feels like my destiny, like it’s coming for me. So we’ll see what the year brings, but I’d love to fight for a world title next year.”
Elliot Foster is part of Boxing Scene's UK team. Follow him on Twitter @FreelanceFoz
