LUKE Watkins will make his return from injury with a fight at the iconic York Hall alongside stablemate Garvey Kelly.

The rising star was set to fight for his first title, the Irish cruiserweight crown, back in May on the undercard of fellow Fitzpatrick’s Gym fighter Eammon O’Kane’s successful defence of his IBF middleweight inter-continental belt against Lewis Taylor at the Lavey Sports Arena in Derry last month.

However, a perforated eardrum forced the 25-year-old Swindon slugger to withdraw and also let to his trainer Paddy Fitzpatrick cancelling a proposed show at the Oasis Leisure Centre that was scheduled for tonight.

But the former New College student has begun sparring once more and is set to appear at the home of British boxing on Saturday, July 18, with welterweight Kelly.

Kelly will head to Bethnal Green on the back of superb success over Gabor Feher on May 2 in Northern Ireland following his shock stoppage loss to Faheem Khan at the Oasis back in February.

And while Fitzpatrick is keen to keep his charges’ education in the paid ranks on an upward curve, the Ferndale Road-based trainer will not rush his fighters.

“Duke (Watkins) was supposed to be fighting for the Irish title and then headlining a show in Swindon before the injury, so that is two fights that he has missed,” Fitzpatrick said. “So we will look to bring him back in a six-rounder; maybe eight, depending on other fights on the bill.

“Garvey will be in a six-rounder. He boxed beautifully in Ireland and we want to build on that.

“They will both be in what I call educational fights - a fight that will help develop at least one aspect on their attributes.”

Since the injury, Fitzpatrick says that Watkins has remained in the gym working on his strength and conditioning.

“Duke has been phenomenal since the injury,” the trainer said. “He understands that injuries happen in boxing.

“He has continued to work hard and we were able to start him sparring again this week.

“He believes, like I do, that he will be a world champion one day and everything that is happening now is preparing him for that.

“Garv has been beautiful. The attitude, like Duke’s, has been brilliant.

“He has been sparring Eammon and we took him down to London again and it is just about continuing his development.”