TRAINING: Henry Wharton

York boxing hero Henry Wharton is edging ever closer to making a sensational return to the ring, the Evening Press can reveal.

The 31-year-old former champion and his trainer Gary Atkin are to head to London within the next week to hold talks with top fight promoter Frank Maloney about a comeback.

Speaking to the Evening Press, Atkin said while nothing had yet been signed, the much-talked all-York clash between Wharton and top light heavyweight prospect Jamie Warters is very much on the cards.

That will depend on Warters successfully coming through his next fight against Tony Oakey on February 12, but Atkin said the prospect of the two York fighters meeting in the spring was a real one.

"Henry is in light training at the moment. We only go into full training when we have a fight date to aim for but we are definitely serious about getting Henry back in action by March or April."

Atkin added: "Obviously the fight that would get everyone interested would be the fight with Warters.

"It would be a great fight for York if it comes off and quite evenly matched.

"It would be interesting to see if Henry has still got it after being out of the ring for so long while Warters is obviously doing well and is on the up."

Atkin insisted if the Warters v Wharton fight does come off it would be staged in York but there would little chance of a title being at stake.

"We would want the fight up here and would not want to be going all the way down to London," said Atkin.

"I cannot see there being a title at stake so it would probably not be top of the bill but of course, it would be the fight that would draw the fans in and that everyone would want to see."

Wharton today offered more words of caution about a possible comeback.

"It is really a matter of wait and see," he said. "Until we have this meeting with Frank Maloney then I am pretty much in the dark and at the moment we are only guessing."

However, should he return, Wharton admitted the "obvious" fight would be one with Warters.

"I would have the experience but he has got youth and hunger on his side," said Wharton. "At his stage of his career you are going out there to make it and win and I would be a big scalp."

Wharton, the one-time undefeated British Commonwealth and European super-middleweight champion, suffered only three defeats in three separate world title tilts during a 31-fight professional career.

Almost a year to the day, he surprised the boxing world when he announced his retirement less than a month away from a showdown with Leeds rival Crawford Ashley, citing the 'buzz' had gone.

The possibility of a Warters v Wharton clash was first reported in the Evening Press back in October when Maloney promised to lure Wharton out of retirement for a clash with rising star Warters.

Maloney said at the time it "would be one of the best fights in Britain for a long time" and described Warters as "one of the best., most exciting light-heavyweight prospects in the country".

Wharton was at ringside for Warters' last fight a points win over Hull's Terry Morrill in November.

Warters' fight against Portsmouth-based Oakey will be on the undercard of the European light heavyweight clash between Sheffield champion Clinton Woods and Norway's world title challenger Ole Klementsen at the Hillsborough Leisure Centre, Sheffield.

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