Junior Witter will make the third defence of his WBC light-welterweight title against unbeaten American Timothy Bradley at the Nottingham Arena on May 10.

Witter's bout will form the joint headline on a tremendous card which also features Carl Froch's rearranged WBC super-middleweight title eliminator against Denis Inkin.

Witter had been due to defend his crown against Demetrius Hopkins in the US this month until Hopkins withdrew. Instead he gets the chance to impress in front of a live terrestrial television audience.

Witter said: "It will be great to showcase my talent in front of a nationwide audience and the British public will now be able to see the fighter who Ricky Hatton is avoiding.

"I am defending my WBC title which is the most prestigious belt in boxing, and a title Hatton has never been able to win - in fact he got knocked out fighting for the WBC title in his last fight."

Witter's ongoing war of words with his domestic 140lbs rival has only served to diminish the chances of the fight most of British boxing wants to see most from ever happening.

Witter may not sell tickets but he proved in his stunning seventh-round stoppage of former IBF champion Vivian Harris in his last fight in June that there are few fighters who deserve a showdown with the 'Hitman' more.

And he will relish the opportunity to finally underline his credentials in a fight to be shown live on ITV1. The bill also features an intriguing English lightweight title fight between unbeaten pair John Murray and John Fewkes.

Bradley has won all 21 of his professional fights, 11 by stoppage. His projected eliminator against Jose Luis Castillo last month for the right to challenge Witter was cancelled when Castillo failed to make the weight.

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