By Nick Kelly

Ian Napa has been granted a shot at the vacant European bantamweight against Jerome Arnould following purse bids.  ‘Dappa’ Napa will have to travel to France for the bout, which is scheduled to take place on the 6th of March.

However, Napa must first get past Jamie McDonnell as he defends his British title next week in Brentford.  Napa won the European title in October 2008 with a majority decision over Carmelo Ballone but lost the title in his first defence against Malik Bouziane.

There will also be another chance for a Brit to win a European title as Scott Lawton challenges Leva Kirakosayan on February 19th in Stoke.  Hatton Promotions had originally planned to stage Matthew Macklin’s European title defence against Dmitry Pirog in Birmingham that night, but Macklin’s injury postponement means that Lawton will get his shot at the super featherweight title.

Lawton twice challenged for the British lightweight title but came up short in both attempts, against Jon Thaxton and John Murray.  After the Murray defeat he dropped down to super featherweight, stopping Derry Mathews in the sixth round in Stoke last November.