By Elliot Foster

Tommy Langford versus Jack Arnfield looks to have a new date and venue after Steve Wood won the purse bids.

The pair, who will contest the former’s British middleweight title, had been set to square off on February 10 at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool, exclusively live on VIP Boxing TV.

But after promoter Wood managed to secure a terrestrial TV date for the fight, which is a mandatory defence, it is expected to feature on the undercard of George Groves’ WBA Super super-middleweight title defence against Chris Eubank Jr.

Groves faces the IBO champion in the first super-middleweight semi-final of the World Boxing Super Series at Manchester Arena, exclusively live on ITV Box Office, on February 17 and, as per the latest Board circular, Langford vs. Arnfield will be added to the card.

It has also already been announced that the Groves vs. Eubank Jr. undercard will feature Ryan Walsh’s mandatory defence of the British featherweight crown against Isaac Lowe.

Meanwhile, Matty Askin’s British cruiserweight title defence against Stephen Simmons is set to happen on March 17 after David Haye won the purse bids to stage the fight at York Hall in Bethnal Green, London, and a new date and venue is awaited for Frank Buglioni’s mandated British light-heavyweight title defence against Commonwealth champion Callum Johnson.

Luke Watkins, the Commonwealth cruiserweight champion, pulled out of a fight against Tommy McCarthy in a final eliminator for the British crown. The fight had been sent to purse bids and the Board stated that it must have taken place by the end of April.

Coming down the weight divisions, Zach Parker has been handed a straight shot at Rocky Fielding’s super-middleweight Lonsdale belt after John Ryder, a former Fielding foe, pulled out of a final eliminator clash..

Parker produced a great display in his second-last fight at the ECHO Arena in Liverpool back in September when he stopped Luke Blackledge inside a round in an official eliminator, while Ryder –– who is now out –– knocked out Patrick Nielsen in a non-title fight back in October after watching Fielding stop David Brophy inside a round in the previous month.

Elsewhere, Liam Cameron withdrew from a British middleweight title final eliminator against Mark Heffron and James Metcalf vs. Asinia Byfield has been ordered as a final eliminator for the vacant British title in the 154-pound division, also for the vacant English super-welterweight title, with the winner ordered to box former champion Liam Williams.