James Metcalf has been crying out for a big opportunity.

The Commonwealth super-welterweight champion has boxed just once since winning the title back in June last year.

Metcalf stopped Jason Welborn in Leeds and followed up his biggest win to date with a spell on the sidelines to repair a hand injury.

He was back last month and took just 32 seconds to get rid of the vastly overmatched Jan Balog at the Grand Central Hall in his home city of Liverpool to move to 21-0 with 13 quick.

But the big opportunity that the 31-year-old craves could well come next after the British Boxing Board of Control ordered him to challenge Scott Fitzgerald for the British title in the 154-pound division.

Fitzgerald, who had originally been set to rematch Metcalf’s fellow Liverpudlian Anthony Fowler after returning on May 2 at Manchester Arena, won the Lonsdale belt last October when he outpointed Ted Cheeseman at the Utilita Arena in Newcastle.

The fight has been put out to purse bids by the Board and must take place by the end of July, with it being understood that the aforementioned Fowler will meet undefeated WBC International Silver champion Kieran Smith, from Greenrigg, Scotland, in a final eliminator.

Meanwhile, Reece Mould’s featherweight British title challenge against long-time champion Ryan Walsh has once again been delayed. Walsh, who is in the final of the MTK Golden Contract tournament, is injured, according to the latest notices, but the fight against Mould must take place by the end of April or the belt will be declared vacant and the winner must waive grace and defend against former Commonwealth and WBA International champion Jordan Gill when called upon to do so.

At welterweight, Liam Taylor is inexplicably forced to wait for his rematch against Chris Jenkins –– who also holds the Commonwealth title and will defend both titles against Johnny Garton in a rematch on April 11 at the O2 Arena in London, exclusively live on BT Sport Box Office, as part of the supporting cast to the five-belt heavyweight showdown between Daniel Dubois and Joe Joyce –– despite a technical draw being ruled in their first fight back in November.

Instead, Conor Benn has been installed as next in line, while Taylor will challenge Ekow Essuman for the English title in a final eliminator for the British title.

And the number one middleweight with the WBO, Liam Williams, who is in negotiations to face Demetrius Andrade for a shot at the world title, will apparently meet Andrew Robinson in a defence of his British title after Frank Warren won purse bids and has yet to provide a date and venue.