Light heavyweight prospect Jamie Warters' return to the ring has been dealt a cruel blow.

Jamie Warters

The Jorvik Warrior was set to feature in a bill at Leeds' Queens Hotel on November 28, with a return to winning ways likely to advance his claims for a title tilt.

But Warters' trainer, Terry O'Neill, has revealed his young protg has pulled out of the Leeds showdown after his right eye, cut in his first defeat in September, suffered an infection.

"The stitching was not done quite right and the eye got infected," said O'Neill. "We don't want to risk anything so we thought it would be best to give the eye a good rest."

O'Neill said Warters was gutted that his comeback had been put on hold.

A convincing win would have confirmed his growing reputation as one to watch and would have signalled the beginning of a step up in class for the York fighter.

And Warters was desperate to make a quick return to the ring after the September defeat at the head of Welshman Tim Brown.

The Jorvik Warrior was comfortably in front in the Barbican bout when referee Mickey Vann called time in the fourth round.

A clash of heads opened up a cut - which needed four stitches - above the right eye, just as the York fighter seemed certain to chalk-up his eighth successive win.

"Jamie is obviously disappointed but he has started doing some running while we keep him away from sparring and we hope he will be fighting again early in the New Year," said O'Neill.

Warters, currently ranked in the top ten of the domestic light heavyweight division, was due to meet another high ranking young light heavyweight hot prospect, Huddersfield's Mark Dawson.

Should Warters' eye eventually heal, it is hoped the pair will eventually come to blows on February 16 at the Leeds Irish Centre.

Haxby boxer Paul Dyer continued his progress with a victory in his latest bout.

Dyer, 14, who boxes out of the St Paul's club, Hull, beat Doncaster's Robert Hale in a 48kg contest in Hull.

The Joseph Rowntree School pupil won by a unanimous points decision after controlling the bout with his jab. Hale had a point deducted for dangerous use of the head.

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