Top ring prospect Jamie Warters is keeping his fingers crossed it will be third time lucky after the postponement of his next fight.

The Jorvik Warrior was scheduled to fight Portsmouth's Tony Oakey on February 12 on the undercard of the European light heavyweight clash between Sheffield champion Clinton Woods and Norway's world title challenger Ole Klementsen.

But a bout of 'flu and a chest infection has hampered the light heavyweight's preparations and forced him to withdraw from the Sheffield show.

He now hopes to be fighting in early March, hopefully against the highly-rated Oakey, at the third time of asking.

The pair were scheduled to clash in November but it was Oakey who withdrew then after picking up an injury in training.

Warters admitted he was "gutted" at having to cancel the February clash.

"The Sheffield venue would have been ideal for me because I know a lot of the fighters on the undercard and it was a good bill but it is just one of those things," said Warters.

"This is not a game where you can afford to be anything less than 100 per cent."

Warters, who has been linked to a possible all York clash with Henry Wharton should the triple world title challenger decide to come out of retirement, added: "There is no definite date lined up for my next fight but I know there is a show on in early March which may be down in London, but that wouldn't bother me.

"I am back in training now, although I am just easing myself into it and starting to pick things up."

As reported in the Evening Press, Warters is planning to head to America later this year to add some world class backing to his tilt at the boxing big time.

Legendary boxing trainer Emanuel Steward has already invited the Jorvik Warrior to his Stateside base, the renowned Kronk gym in Detroit.

As well as Detroit, Warters could also link up with Britain's Lennox Lewis at the undisputed world heavyweight champion's plush training headquarters in the honeymoon capital of America the Poconos Mountains in Brookdale, Pennsylvania.

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