YORVIK Warrior Jamie Warters could be back in the ring at the end of November after seeing his latest fight KO'd by cracked ribs.

Warters, 28, was due to fight at Hull's Willerby Manor Hotel last week but had to pull out because of the sparring injury.

He is now hoping to resume training and fight again before the start of the new year when he could meet Tony Booth in a British Masters cruiserweight title fight.

That contest is the subject of preliminary negotiations but any showdown could be held at the KC Stadium, Hull, or a York venue.

A mouth-watering meeting with Leeds' Denzil Browne, however, now looks increasingly unlikely with Warters maintaining that the former stable-mate of York's British, Commonwealth and European champion Henry Wharton wanted £7,500 to defend his Central Area belt.

"He said I was scared of him but that's rubbish," Warters insisted. "He wanted three times the figure that he went public with. He wanted £7,500 and to fight in Sheffield which is daft money for a Central Area title."

Booth, who Warters was beaten by on points last November, is a more likely opponent but first the York man is hoping to have a warm-up bout late next month.

He said: "I suffered a rib injury four weeks ago when I was going hard at it sparring and that has held me back. It caused me to pull out of my last fight but now I'm just ticking over and waiting for something to be rescheduled."

Warters believes he now has four years left in the sport and is still targeting a British title before he hangs up his gloves.

But the Steve Pollard-trained fighter will not be taking any needless risks in his pursuit of glory.

He said: "I've had fights offered but it has been at last-minute notice on the night before.

"If you are after money then that's fair enough but I think it's too hard a game to mess around with.

"I'm 28 and think I've got about three or four years left at it. I've got to be looking at a British title.

"I want to earn some money out of it because I have put a lot of hard work in training. I have had problems with managers and promoters in the past that have curtailed my career but I'm part of a good set-up now under Steve and want to move forward."

Updated: 10:58 Saturday, October 04, 2003