Rhodes eyes WBC title

Rhodes: Title chance

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Ryan Rhodes could be set to end his long wait for another world title shot after being lined up to take on WBC light-middleweight champion Saul Alvarez.

The Yorkshireman was overlooked for a fight with the highly-rated Mexican earlier this year when Matthew Hatton was allowed to step up from welterweight to challenge Alvarez for the vacant belt.

However Rhodes has now taken a giant step forward after he was named as the mandatory challenger to the 20-year-old ahead of Alfredo Angulo, who is unavailable.

The 34-year-old Rhodes could now go toe-to-toe with Alvarez on June 18.

"We have chosen Ryan Rhodes because he is the highest available contender," said WBC president Jose Sulaiman.

Points

"We looked at someone higher than him, but we don't believe Angulo is available.

Rhodes last challenged for the WBO version of the middleweight title in 1997 when he dropped a narrow points decision to Otis Gibson in Sheffield.

The Sheffield southpaw then lost to Jason Matthews for the interim WBO middleweight crown two years later.

Rhodes also suffered a points defeat to Gary Lockett for the lesser WBU strap in 2006 - however that was the last of the four losses in his 49-fight career.

Since then he has gone on a 10-fight winning run, picking up the British and European light-middleweight crowns along the way.

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