Glenn Foot is fast approaching four key days in his career, inside and outside the ring.
The Sunderland fighter will learn news of a proposed British light-welterweight title match ahead of his date in Newcastle on Saturday, June 16.
Foot, crowned as Commonwealth champion back in March, will have a six-rounder against Ricky Rose on the mammoth bill at the Metro Radio Arena.
The 30-year-old can afford no mishaps against the Kent welterweight given what is on the horizon.
Purse bids close at noon on Wednesday, June 13 at the British Boxing Board of Control HQ for Foot’s mouth-watering title match against North-East neighbour and arch-rival, Josh Leather, who controversially beat him in an IBF European title fight in Newcastle last November.
Eddie Hearn had hoped to negotiate a deal to stage Foot-Leather 2 on at his Metro Radio Arena show, which is headlined by Josh Kelly and Lewis Ritson.
However, Leather is instead fighting Ohara Davies at the O2 on Saturday, June 23 on a Frank Warren promotion.
Foot should find out a week on Thursday the state of play with his British title challenge, but his manager, Phil Jeffries, says it’s still vital he boxes and boxes well on the Matchroom event.
“All Glenn wants is title fights at the moment,” Jaffa told punch-lines. “Given the circumstances unfortunately there can’t be one here.
“This is an important night for Glenn at the Metro Radio Arena.
“He can afford no set-backs and we’ll be looking to see him carry on the form he has shown in his last two fights when he has been the best Glenn Foot we’ve seen.”
Rose is no dummy and can’t be under-estimated.
The 28-year-old, from Kent, started his career with three wins on his doorstep, but has since taken on, and lost to, five fighters with winning records.
Foot though is the biggest name he has come up against and is a fighter in a rich vein of form.
The Dave Binns-trained fighter gave Leather a rough ride in their Wear-Tees derby before stopping the previously-unbeaten Jason Easton at the SSE Hydro in March for the vacant Commonwealth belt.
Words: Roy Kelly Picture: Jennifer Charlton
