Bolton's rising boxing star Jack Cullen has a new opponent for his crunch English title fight on home soil next month. 

The Little Lever Meat Cleaver was scheduled to challenge middleweight champion Reece Cartwright at the Bolton Whites Hotel on Saturday, May 11, on a night where Farnworth’s Jack Flatley will also look to win the English super-welterweight title. 

First due to take place in March before being delayed due to an injury to the Leeds fighter, Cartwright has now announced he is to take a break from the sport due to personal reasons and has relinquished his title. 

Cullen’s manager and show promoter Steve Wood has acted quickly though and the Tommy Battel-trained fighter will now face Jack Sellars for the coveted domestic title. 

Sellars is the Central Area champion at super-middleweight after narrowly outpointing Darwen’s Mickey Ellison, a stablemate of Flatley at the Elite gym in Halliwell, at the end of March. 

The 25-year-old may have lost three of his 11 fights but has always proved to be a dangerous fighter on the road and has regularly taken fights at short notice.

Cullen, also 25, has only tasted defeat once in 16 outings and is looking to move towards the top of the domestic rankings in 2019 with his preparations for the biggest night of his career so far including a stint training in Tenerife. 

Cartwright’s withdrawal came out of the blue with the 24-year-old explaining the decision in a statement posted on social media by his management. 

“It is with great regret that we announce that Leeds middleweight Reece Cartwright will take time out from professional boxing to consider his future options with immediate effect,” it read.

“The British Boxing Board of Control have been informed and Reece would like to thank all his fans, sponsors, family and friends for their support and kind messages over the last five years of this amazing journey.

“We ask now that people please respect Reece and his family’s privacy at this emotional and sensitive time.”

The Bolton News: Jack Flatley is unbeaten as a professional Jack Flatley is unbeaten as a professional

As well as Cullen against Sellars, Flatley takes on Shropshire’s Craig Morris for a vacant title on a big night for Bolton boxing.  

Flatley is unbeaten in 15 fights with 14 wins and one draw but faces a real test against Morris who has won 11 and lost two, including being ahead on the cards against rising star Scott Fitzgerald before being stopped in the last round in September. 

A packed undercard, Wood believing this is the biggest show his VIP  Boxing operation have put on, features former Elite boxer Luke Blackledge from Clitheroe, Oldham's Jack Kilgannon, Wigan's James Moorcroft and Andy Fleming, Manchester's Kane Gardner, Leigh's Kyle Lomotey and Preston's Damian Chambers.