MALMESBURY fighter Joe Hughes has been given the opportunity of his career – a call-up to box for the European super lightweight title.

Hughes gets his chance thanks to former world champion Barry McGuigan , the Clones Cyclone, who is promoting his clash with Sweden’s reigning champion Anthony Yigit.

Another carrot for Hughes, the former Malmesbury ABC star, is that it will be his first bout on terrestrial TV.

The Hughes-Yigit scrap will top the bill on McGuigan’s ‘All Or Nothing’ showcase on Saturday, December 2 at the Leicester Arena. It is the latest fight night to be shown on Channel 5’s new live boxing programme.

The bout represents a major boost for Hughes, 27, after his controversial draw for the British title against champion Tyrone Nurse at the same venue in April. The Malmesbury man was not alone in thinking he had done enough to win that fight.

Speaking to the Standard after the press conference for the Yigit fight in Leicester on Tuesday, Hughes said: “I could not have been given a bigger incentive. It is the full EBU European title on the line and the first time I will have fought on terrestrial TV.

“The last live Channel 5 boxing show drew a million viewers so it will be huge boost for my profile.

“Barry McGuigan has also said he will come down to our gym (Paddy John’s in Bristol) to help promote the fight.

“The offer came out of the blue with a phone call from McGuigan’s Cyclone Promotions saying would we be interested.

“It is quite short notice but too good an opportunity not to take. I presume I was the highest ranked opponent who was not tied up with another bout.”

Yigit, 26, has an almost unblemished record of 21 fights, all wins apart from one draw, with seven knockouts.

He won the vacant EBU European super lightweight title on a previous visit to Britain against Lenny Daws in February and defended it when beating Sandor Martin in Sweden in September. Both verdicts were unanimous points decisions.

“Yigit was very respectful at the press conference, not cocky at all, and he speaks fluent English,” said Hughes.

“He’s a legitimate champion and also boxed at the London Olympics in 2012 “I have watched some of his fights and he is an aggressive southpaw, good on his feet, who comes to fight so it should be an entertaining clash.

“Perhaps something good has come out of the Nurse draw, which I am still unhappy about, because had I beaten him I would probably have been fighting for an British title eliminator again soon.

“Having four weeks’ notice for the fight is not a problem as I was already in the gym and expecting to take on someone around December time.

“It is back in the same Leicester venue where I drew with Nurse but this time I imagine I will have most of the crowd behind me.

“The chief supporting bout will be Swindon’s Luke ‘The Duke’ Watkins defending his Commonwealth cruiserweight title for the first time.

“Swindon’s Ryan Martin is also on the bill fighting an English welterweight title eliminator against Craig Morris, so it should be a good night.”

Tickets for the show at the Leicester Arena are priced £30 unreserved or £100 VIP and are available through Joe Hughes on 07878 454570 or his Twitter account @joehughesboxing.