Sporting Digest: Boxing

CARL THOMPSON, of Manchester, who knocked out Massimiliano Duran in Italy to win the European cruiserweight title earlier this month, has been ordered to make his first mandatory defence against the former champion, Akim Tafer, of France.

WAYNE McCULLOUGH, the unbeaten Irish bantamweight, has had a four-fight offer worth pounds 670,000 turned down by his manager, Matt Tinley. The offer, starting with a World Boxing Organisation title fight, was made by the promoters, Barney Eastwood and Frank Warren. Instead, Tinley is lining up McCullough to fight on the Michael Bentt-Herbie Hide WBO heavyweight championship bill at Millwall FC on 19 March.