KENT boxer Johnny Armour will make his return to the ring in Nottingham on St Valentine’s Day in what could be one of the domestic fights of the year.

Sources close to the fighter say he will challenge Nicky Booth for his British title at the Harvey Hadden Centre in Nottingham on February 14 in what will effectively be a world title eliminator.

The former WBU bantamweight champion from Chatham was supposed to meet the man who took his title, Australian Nathan Sting, who is in England training at the Peacock Gym in Canning Town. Both fighters lost out to Sting in their last outings.

Armour and his management team are keen to face Sting but pressure from the promoters and Sky Sports want to see Booth and Armour get it on in what will be a grudge match.

Booth boasted on Sky Sports, after his unconvincing win over Jamie Yelland in April, that he would knock Johnny Armour ‘spark out’ if they would ever to meet.

These comments infuriated Armour and he is looking forward to putting the record straight. Armour said he was disappointed not to be fighting for the world title but was looking forward to finally getting at Booth.

He said: “I've been sparring in preparation to take on Sting, who is a southpaw, so I’m getting used to moving one way to avoid his right hand. But I’ve got about five weeks to spar with an orthodox fighter but it’s no problem.

“I haven't held the British title. I've won the European and Commonwealth titles before so it would be quite nice to add this one to the set. I was supposed to fight for the British title in 1996 against Drew Docherty but he didn’t want it.

“I still want to take on Sting because I want my title back but if I have to go through Booth first then I will. I just don’t want to turn down this fight and then be out of action until the summer."