Schwer set for a battle of Britain battle

Billy Schwer and the World Boxing Union lightweight champion, Colin Dunne, are being lined up for an all-British title fight on the next Lennox Lewis promotion.

The 15 July bill, probably at the London Arena in Docklands, will be Schwer's first outing since losing his World Boxing Council title bid against the American Stevie Johnston at Wembley Arena last November. Schwer was hoping for a re-match - or another WBC fight for the vacant title - after Johnston was tested positive for ephedrine, but instead of the American being penalised, it appears his title is safe after he was allowed to take another defence against Julio Alvarez in mid-March.

So the former undefeated European champion from Luton has decided his career must progress rather than pause, and a match with Dunne was the best proposition on offer.

Dunne, 29, and based in Holloway, has not fought since outpointing Phillip Holiday in his third title defence 14 months ago. Schwer, 30, who will next week fly off for a three-week training camp in Florida, said: "I'm looking forward to getting back in action. It's for another version of the world title, I thought I was fighting for the most prestigious against Johnston. But because of what happened I'm very disappointed with the WBC.

"Dunne is a big domestic fight. He's a nice guy; we know each other well from sparring together, but business is business." The fight, still to be finalised, would give both fighter exposure on the American cable channel Home Box Office.

Meanwhile, the WBC are set to take another look at the Johnston case, but the Boxing Board of Control secretary, Simon Block, believes the American will still keep his title. "The WBC have indicated they will reopen the case as far as the evidence that Johnston gave, because we have shown that evidence cannot be correct," Block said. "But because of the specific WBC rules on testing, we cannot comply with them here. We have a different procedure.

"We have the government-appointed UK Sports doing the tests here, they have a different protocol. They work to the IOC [International Olympic Committee] procedures and the two aren't compatible. I have no doubt Johnston will keep his title. We are annoyed at the way its been handled by the WBC."