By Elliot Foster
A lightweight world title fight between Terry Flanagan and Derry Mathews is being eyed for the new year.
Manchester's Flanagan, who holds the division's WBO crown, had been set to defend his trinket against rival Mathews, from Liverpool, on the ‘Xmas Cracker’ card being put on by promoter Frank Warren, in association with Adam Booth, on December 19 at Manchester Arena.
But despite Flanagan being set to make his second defence on a bill that features Andy Lee’s WBO middleweight title defence against mandatory challenger Billy Joe Saunders and Liam Smith’s first WBO super welterweight title defence, he pulled out of the scheduled outing and will sit out the remainder of the year.
A source close to the negotiations told Boxing Scene: “Terry was meant to face Derry in December, everything was agreed. But he wanted a rest and a couple of holidays.
“He’s had hard training camps this year, so it didn’t surprise me that he wanted to sit it out.”
Boxing Scene understands that Frank Warren, of Queensberry Promotions, wants the fight to be staged at Liverpool’s Echo Arena –– with the show believed to be being lined up for February 13, 2016 –– whereas those close to the undefeated champion are against that idea.
“Where the fight will be is the stumbling block at the moment,” our source continued.
“There’s no way a champion should have to go away from home to defend his title and that’s what they’re arguing about at the moment.
“When all that is sorted, an announcement should be made.”
Elliot Foster is part of the UK Boxing Scene team. Follow him on Twitter @FreelanceFoz
