BRITISH super-bantamweight champion Scott Quigg is gearing himself up for a clash with emerging Irish star Carl Frampton

Quigg, 23, retained his title by stopping Welsh veteran Jamie Arthur in Bolton on Saturday night (February 4) and remains on course for a mouth-watering clash against the Barry McGuigan managed Commonwealth king.

Bury's Quigg came through a tricky first defence forcing ref Mark Green to stop the contest when the challenger turned away after being hurt by a left hook in round eight.

After his 24th straight win, Quigg who is ranked third in the world by the IBF and WBA was anxious to look forward, and Frampton tops the hit list. It’s the fight everyone wants to see so we need to sit down and discuss it,” Quigg said. “He’s got another fight coming up in March and if he wins and I keep winning, then we’re going to meet. “The fights building up so what’s the point of it being for the just the British and Commonwealth titles? It could be for a bigger title like the European as well for money. “When it happens it should be in a big arena so we can build it up by him going his way and me going mine, but if the fight happens next then that’s fine by me because I know I’ll win.” He added: “I’ll fight him wherever. I’ll go to Ireland as easily as he’ll fight me over here. I respect him and I’m sure he respects me and when we get it on it’s just about proving who’s the best.”

Quigg suffered a shock fourth round knockdown against Arthur, but quickly took control against the former Commonwealth champion, although some ringsiders believed the stoppage was slightly premature. “Everything went to plan except for me getting caught with a daft shot,” Quigg added.“I wasn’t hurt, though, I just got caught square on and went over but it was more embarrassing then anything. When I got up my head was clear. He threw the kitchen sink at me after that and I don’t think one shot landed.”

Quigg also feels that despite the end of the action coming with Arthur still on his feet, a knockout was inevitable if the fight would have been allowed to continue. He said: “It’s up to the ref to decide when to stop it and he couldn’t give him a count because he was still on his feet, but he turned his back and you could tell he was in pain. “I was getting to him and catching him with some big shots and it was only a matter of time before I finished it. “If he thinks he didn’t get a fair chance and he wants a rematch then I’ll gladly give it to him.”

In the chief support, 2008 Olympian “Genius” Joe Murray notch up his twelfth pro win with a clear cut eight round points (80 – 72) win over Jose Luis Graterol.

Other results: Stephen Foster Jnr bt Yauheni Kruhlik Pts, Matty Askin bt Attila Palko TKO 2, Rendall Munroe bt Jose Saez TKO 1, James Dickens bt Barrington Brown pts, Craig Lyon bt Yuri Voronin pts, Tasif Khan bt Delroy Spencer pts.

Jamie Arthur Wants A Rematch

Jamie Arthur says he wants to fight Scott Quigg again after claiming he was the victim of a premature stoppage at Bolton on Saturday night. Referee Mark Green stepped in to stop the contest when Arthur was hurt by a Quigg body punch in the solar plexus. The referee thought Arthur had turned his back, but the Welshman told Hatton TV that he had just swivelled round in a circle from the punch and was quite ok to continue. Quigg is more likely to face rival Carl Frampton but said after the fight that despite the end of the action coming with Arthur still on his feet, a knockout was inevitable if the fight would have been allowed to continue. He said: "It's up to the ref to decide when to stop it and he couldn't give him a count because he was still on his feet, but he turned his back and you could tell he was in pain. "I was getting to him and catching him with some big shots and it was only a matter of time before I finished it. "If he thinks he didn't get a fair chance and he wants a rematch then I'll gladly give it to him."