Wharton's waiting game

Boxing

Henry Wharton will defend his Commonwealth super-middleweight title in Halifax tonight while his immediate world championship prospects could be decided in Buenos Aires.

Whether the new World Council champion, Robin Reid, meets South Africa's Sugar Boy Malinga next or Wharton will be debated at the WBC's convention in Argentina this week.

"It does worry me a little bit about what might happen at the WBC meeting, but I've got to keep my mind off it," said Wharton, who meets Australia's 28-year-old Rick Thornberry at the Northgate Leisure Centre. "But I'm sensible enough not to start thinking too much about world title fights. I've fought at the top level for many years now, had 10 championship fights and I've proved myself against the top men in the division."

Although Wharton has been the WBC's leading contender for some months, the governing body ordered Vincento Nardiello, defeated by Reid, to meet Malinga for a second time. Reid may now have to take over that commitment. But Wharton may take legal action if he is kept waiting beyond next March's mandatory deadline.