Thursday 23 July 2015 17:42, UK
Unbeaten light-welterweight Tommy Martin has vowed to move on after scheduled opponent Charlie Rice failed to show up to a press conference.
The 21-year-old Martin (12-0-KO4) recovered from a shaky start to stop Terry Needham in Liverpool on June 26 and was due to face Rice on September 12 on the undercard of Anthony Joshua v Gary Cornish.
But after Rice failed to attend the media event in London and looks like he has pulled out of the fight altogether, Martin told Sky Sports: "When I won the English title, Charlie Rice called me out on social media and all his cousins were daring me to defend the title against him.
"I was ignoring it but then I mentioned it to Eddie and he said it'd be a great London fight. So I said alright, let's get it on. Then I boxed in Liverpool and told him we could do it there but he said six weeks wasn't enough time.
"I got told September 12 was going to be my next date so I said I wanted the Charlie Rice fight. I thought it was all on but then we come to the press conference and he hasn't showed up.
I wanted the Charlie Rice fight. I thought it was all on but then we come to the press conference and he hasn't showed up.
"You can't force a man to fight and he genuinely knows he can't beat me. Reality hit and the press conference came and he's just realised it's a different level. If he doesn't want to fight, we'll move on for bigger and better.
"I'll still be in a great fight on the night. I've already sold tickets so I want to give my fans a great night.
"I want to be British champion and I also want to get hold of the WBC International title. I don't really know why... I like the green belt! That would put me top 15 in the world and why not?
"It's a brilliant platform, live on Sky Sports and in front of 18,000 people. I'm sure Anthony Joshua would sell that place out just on his own. My lot are absolutely crazy and I can't thank him enough. It's a night of boxing I'm really looking forward to."
