BOLTON’S two rising middleweights, Jack Flatley and Jack Cullen, took another step towards fighting each other with impressive performances on the same bill on Saturday night.

Farnworth’s Flatley beat Northern Ireland’s Casey Blair to take his professional record to 11 wins and no defeats, while Little Lever’s Cullen won against York’s Harry Matthews.

That extended the man from Little Lever’s record to 12 wins and one defeat, which he suffered in his previous fight in a Last Man Standing prize fight night in Dublin when he had a lot less rest than his opponent going into the final of his three fights of the night.

Both Flatley, aged 23 and nicknamed The Quiet Storm, and 24-year-old Cullen – also known as Little Lever Meat Cleaver – dominated their opponents on Saturday night at Manchester’s Victoria Warehouse and displayed impressive skills and aggressive, attacking styles.

The pair are continuing to make names for themselves as they develop their professional careers against journeymen opponents.

There is a growing feeling in some local boxing circles, however, that they might be ready to step up the class of opponent and maybe even go into the ring against each other.

Cullen, in particular, has a large local fan base all over Bolton and a showdown between the two is likely to create a lot of interest.