THE British Army have answered an urgent SOS from Cardigan Amateur Boxing Club to summon up an opponent for hard-hitting light-heavyweight Josh Mellor just days before the club’s first home show in seven years.

Mellor, who won a Welsh title last season during his first full season in the sport, is one of eleven Cardigan boxers who will be appearing at Crymych Leisure Centre on Friday night.

But last week the 24-year-old puncher, who has won eight of his 11 contests to date, feared he would be confined to the role of spectator after his original opponent from Weston-Super-Mare was forced to pull out.

Following a series of frantic phone calls the British Army boxing squad confirmed this weekend that L/Cpl Jack Lorja would fill the breach and step into the opposition corner on Friday.

Lorja, from Kidderminster, was last in action in November when beating Cpl Rasheed Mehrinfar by split decision in the British Army’s 6-2 victory over Bahrein at Catterick Garrison.

Tivyside Advertiser: It is the town's first show in seven years.

Cardigan ABC head coach Guy Croft is now keeping his fingers crossed that – with a full bill that includes six senior bouts – there will be no late withdrawals this week.

“That is how things stand this morning,” he told the Tivyside on Saturday. “Some nice boxers in there – it should be a cracking night if it all comes off.”

Other Cardigan boxers in action are Eglwyswrw schoolboy Dyfan Lewis – winner of all three of his previous contests – whose sister Einir boxes on the same bill, Cardigan veteran Billy Myers, Aberporth’s Ceri Glover, Crymych duo Dion and Caio Jones, Max Kirkwood (Blaenffos), Ronnie Barker (Cardigan), Aliya Poole (Fishguard) and Llyr Jones, son of former British pro title challenger Alan Jones, the one-time ‘Fighting Farmer’ of Llanon.

Cardigan ABC chairman Mike Lewis said Crymych would be ‘the perfect showcase’ for a new generation of local boxers.

“We always enjoy a quite astonishing level of support up there,” he said. “It’s been seven years since our last show and following a period of re-building the latest wave of Cardi boxers are very eager to impress.”