A television breakthrough is looming for burgeoning York ring talent Jamie Warters.

The Warters camp are holding negotiations with promoter Frank Maloney with a view to small screen exposure for the unbeaten Jorvik Warrior.

Trainer Terry O'Neill told the Evening Press that the York fighter was a vying for a place on the undercard for the next title defence of Scarborough's Paul Ingle.

Maloney is reported to want to stage an Ingle title fight at the Spa in Scarborough in August, depending on the outcome of the featherweight's IBF Inter-Continental championship clash at Hull Arena tonight.

Ingle, who was due to fight Sunderland's Billy Hardy for the European title, takes on Frenchman Houssa Sangare and Warters will be ringside supporting his close friend.

Ingle, dubbed 'The Yorkshire Hunter', has been living in a tent in Cropton Forest as part of his training programme in an effort to give him a tougher edge.

Said O'Neill: "Jamie's next fight could be on one of Maloney's shows. We are waiting for confirmation. It is Ingle's next defence, probably a re-match with Hardy. It is hypothetical but I have been promised a job on that show.

"It is a good stage for Jamie and good for Ingle to be boxing in his home town. I think this is the right direction for Jamie, what he wants is a bit of exposure with TV because he is worth it.

"When you see some of the kids on TV they are not in the same league as him. He has got a bit more confidence in himself, that is what he needs. When he gets in the ring he is all right but before he gets in there he is a nervous wreck."

The trainer added that a Scarborough fight would be a "good ticket outing" for Warters, whose popularity has seen his outgrow his regular Irish Centre venue at Leeds.

Light-heavyweight Warters said: "They are going to get me on the undercard and that could mean getting on television. Terry has told me I have outgrown the Irish Centre now.

"I need to get established more and because of my support I am going to have to move to bigger venues."

A spokesman for Maloney declared that Warters would be a welcome addition to their proposed Scarborough bill.

Provisional dates of August 15 or 22 have been pencilled in for the show at the Spa in the east coast town, with the final details dependant on the outcome of tonight's Ingle fight and satellite television schedules.

Meanwhile, Warters predicted a win for Leeds light-heavyweight Crawford Ashley in his Hull re-match with Tony Booth on the Ingle undercard.

The York man, who regularly spars with British title holder Ashley, was due to fight Booth in his fourth pro fight, before his opponent pulled out to take up his first Ashley challenge.

"Booth is a dangerous fighter but Crawford will beat that guy, he stopped him in two rounds when he fought him before," said Warters.

"I think Crawford will be too fast and he hits hard. I have done a lot of sparring with him and he is not the sort of bloke you make too many mistakes with."

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