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Williams to face Skelton

19/12/2005

Danny Williams and Matt Skelton will fight next February for the British title and a shot at the world heavyweight title.

Williams has earned a second chance to face Skelton after his victory over Audley Harrison earlier this month.

He should have met Skelton in the ring last July, but pulled out of the fight at the last minute claiming to be suffering from flu.

Promoter Frank Warren said the fighters would be competing for the "golden carrot" of a world title fight.

Skelton welcomed the chance to meet Williams after their first bout was sidelined late on.

"Me and Danny have unfinished business to settle, so he had better turn up this time," he said.

Williams was bullish in return, telling reporters that he still hadn't forgiven Skelton for calling him "a bottle job" when he withdrew from the original fight.

"He will pay for making those comments," he proclaimed.

"Unlike Audley Harrison, I look at Skelton as a warrior and I know he will come to have a fight.

"I want to move on and beat Skelton to claim back my number one spot in Britain before fighting for a world title again," he added.

Frank Warren, who has reversed his earlier pledge not to work with Williams again, believes the British title clash will give the winner an excellent chance to fight for the world title.

"Not only will this establish who is the best in Britain but this is also virtually an eliminator for the world title," he said.

"I have been speaking to Don King and the winner is in line for a world title fight next."

Don King has said that he expects Skelton, 38 to mature into the better of the two fighters.

He said that he did not consider 32-year-old Williams' victory over Harrison to put him in "the top five or six heavyweights in the world", but added that he was interested in promoting a fight stateside with Skelton.

"I think Matt Skelton is a great prospect so we will see what we can do with him," he concluded.

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