YORK fighter Jamie Warters is on the verge of boxing's big-time.

The Jorvik Warrior could well be in line for a world title showdown should he overcome light-heavyweight rival Jason Barker in a non-title bout in Sheffield's Don Valley Stadium tonight.

New manager Dennis Hobson said: "There is something in the pipeline after tonight's fight.

"If he comes through this okay, he could be in for a big fight in London in December.

"We're lining Jamie up to face (London-based) Mark Baker for a world crown. Baker has been in with all the best and currently holds the WBF version of the world title.

"If we can get it on, it will give Jamie a big platform; he will arrive on the world scene if he wants it."

This will surely come as a boost to the ambitious 24-year-old, whose aspirations had suffered a setback only last month when his scheduled British and Commonwealth title eliminator with Wakefield's Paul Bonson was called off.

The pair were due to meet on the undercard to the Clinton Woods versus Michael Nunn world title eliminator at Sheffield's Ponds Forge, but Woods was forced to withdraw after suffering a cut in training and the promoters, unable to find a top-of-the-bill replacement, pulled the plug.

Tonight's card, though, sees Warters top the bill, while his would-be opponent, Bonson, is involved in another non-title fight against Hemsworth's John Penn, who is also from Hobson's Don Valley Sports Academy stable.

Hobson added: "I don't think Bonson's camp wanted to put his (central area light-heavyweight) title on the line against Jamie because they probably thought he might lose it, and when he does defend it they probably want to fight on their own territory. But I'm looking for bigger things for Jamie, anyway."

Warters, however, must first get over tonight's hurdle, and a tough battle is on the cards against Sheffield-based Barker, 27, who recently won the Scottish super-middleweight title (his father is Scottish).

"It will not be a straightforward match at all. It will be interesting for the first three or four rounds because Barker has got a dangerous right hand," said Hobson.

"I think Jamie will win, though. He has still got to improve but he's got a good record and a lot of ability; it's just a matter of bringing it out of him.

"He's got a great attitude. We've sometimes had to stop him training so much and slow him down because he wants to be at it all the time.