Price-Grainger, Lindsay-Arthur, Edwards, Davies on March 19th

FRANK MALONEY will continue to rely entirely on British based fighters when he stages his next promotion at Leigh Sports Village promotion on Friday 19th March. Maloney exclusively used British boxers when he staged a show in Nottingham last month, and is hoping to repeat that feat again on next week’s Sky Sports televised show.

The promoter said: “The fans appreciate fights between British fighters and know exactly what sort of test house fighters are having.

“It is also good to keep domestic fighters busy and give them decent exposure even though you are occasionally making matches you would prefer to avoid.”

Maloney says that it doesn’t mean the end of imported journeymen boxing on his talent stacked shows.

He added: “I was lucky in Nottingham with no pull-outs and the Leigh bill is holding up well with about ten days to go.

“Sometimes British fighters pull-out late, leave you in the lurch and you end up without a fight or paying over the odds for a late domestic sub because they know they could be saving the show.

“Imports are generally reliable. You make them an offer and all they want to know is how much, how many rounds and have they got a hotel room.

“I think the problem is that sometimes the quality of them is not what you expect.

“I put my hands up with three Latvians I booked a few months ago, and I saw another very poor quality European last week on a show I attended.

“That is a headache for promoters and the British Boxing Board of Control who rubber stamp overseas fighters.”

It means Olympic bronze medallist David Price (4-0) facing his first British opponent as a professional.

The heavyweight hopeful will face Heywood’s Martin Grainger (3-2) in a four rounder.

Heading Maloney’s bumper card is Belfast’s ‘Mr Excitement’ Martin Lindsay (15-0) who defends his British featherweight crown against Cwmbran’s 2002 Commonwealth Games gold medallist Jamie Arthur (16-2)

Other stars on the bill include British flyweight champion Shinny Bayaar, ex-British bantamweight champion Gary Davies, Paul Edwards, Dave Ferguson, Karl Place, Rick Goddins and unbeaten lightweight John Watson,

Tickets for are available for £40 and £80 ringside from 0871 226 1508 or www.frankmaloney.com