The winner of the battle between Jamie Moore and Ryan Rhodes will be taken one step closer to a world title.
Moore or Rhodes could be on verge of WBC crown
The winner of what is arguably the domestic battle of the year between Jamie Moore and Ryan Rhodes will be taken one step closer to a world title.
The excitement surrounding the clash has gone up a notch with the revelation that in addition to Moore's European light-middleweight title being on the line, the WBC has granted the fight eliminator status for Sergio Martinez's world crown.
The match will be staged at Bolton Arena later in October, with Salford's Moore placed third and Rhodes seventh in the WBC's latest rankings.
Moore's manager Steve Wood and co-promoter Frank Maloney are hoping that a victory for Moore over Rhodes could propel him towards a straight shot at Martinez or at a final eliminator against mandatory contender Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.
"I have lobbied the WBC and it is great that they are getting behind British boxing," said Maloney.
Dreams
"If Jamie wins he will go to the WBC convention in Jeju, Korea in early November and try and get him the fight he dreams of.
"This fight is already potentially the domestic fight of the year, but this great news from the WBC makes it even bigger. No wonder tickets are flying out of the door."
The show will boast five title fights at the 4,000-capacity arena.
In chief support is the meeting between Gary Davies and Ian Napa, for the British bantamweight.
The clash was scheduled for this week but was postponed when Davies, who won the crown against Matthew Edmonds earlier this year, sustained a calf injury.
A third title will see Stuart McFadyen take on Jamie McDonnell for the vacant English super-flyweight crown.
