Take Three – Haskins’ Euro shot back on

Lee Haskins’ twice-postponed European flyweight title challenge to champion Andrea Sarritzu will now take place on 28 January in Calgari, Italy. The pair were originally set to meet in September but the bout was postponed when Sarritzu was sidelined through injury. The fight was rescheduled for the end of October but this time Haskins was ruled out after he sustained neck pains as the result of a car crash in his native Bristol a fortnight prior.

Confirmation that the fight is back on is a welcome pre-Christmas tonic for Haskins who hasn’t fought since he outpointed Don Broadhurst for the British and Commonwealth super-flyweight titles a year ago in an ugly clash of styles. The Bristol southpaw, who turned 27 on Monday, has 20 wins from his 22 contests, ten inside, but will start a firm underdog against the experienced Sarritzu (31-4-4) who will be expected to retain on home soil.

The 34-year-old Italian, ranked fifth by the WBC, is currently in his second European tile reign having regained the vacant 8 st crown with a seventh round retirement stoppage over Christophe Rodrigues last November. Sarritzi has since made one defence, flooring Alain Bonnel in the 12th round en route to recording a wide unanimous points triumph in May.