KELVIN Young’s manager Keith Mayo has said that his IBO super-middleweight inter-continental champion cannot afford to slip up next month if he is to remain on course for a world title shot.

The Penhill pugilist will fight an eight-round international contest at the Oasis Leisure Centre on November 1.

As his Greenbridge-based manager and promoter tries to secure him a fight against IBO champion Donovan George next year, Young, who will be stepping between the ropes for his 20th bout, has to claim his 17th victory.

“It is very important (that Young wins),” Mayo said. “We are still in talks about the world title fight with Donovan George.”

While George’s representatives are also in talks with former world light-heavyweight champion Jean Pascal about a possible defence in Canada, Mayo is hopeful that he can bring the Chicago-based fighter to the UK.

But for any world title contest to be secured for Young, a television deal has to be secured and Mayo is hoping to discover next month whether or not it can happen.

“It is still a possibility,” Mayo said. “There are two television companies half interested, we are trying to convince them.

“We are trying to pick up some big sponsors to make it all happen, it is going right direction.

“I understand that they can only wait for so long, we are trying for February time, if it happens it will be fantastic.”

Should a world title shot not come off for Young in the new year then Mayo will be looking to find an opponent ranked in the IBO top 35 for his 27-year-old to defend his inter-continental belt to put him in a mandatory position for the main crown.

“If worse comes to the worse we will get Kelvin to defend his inter-continental title and defend it once more after that (against an opponent ranked in the top 35) and then he is mandatory,” Mayo said.

Tickets for the November 1 By Any Means Necessary show are priced £60 VIP/ringside and £35 unreserved. For more information visit www.kmpromotions.co.uk