MENTION the WBC belt and your mind turns to Muhammad Ali, Lennox Lewis or Floyd Mayweather.

The green belt in boxing is synonymous with some of the sport’s biggest names, yet on Friday, June 10, the sport’s largest organisation will be at a little leisure centre in the parish of Stratton St Margaret as Kelly Morgan does battle for the vacant Female Silver middleweight title.

Should Morgan defeat Ghanaian Gifty Ankrah in a couple of weeks’ time then she will be one step away from a world title shot.

However, it is not just the 2002 Commonwealth Games javelin bronze medallist being linked with the WBC, her stablemate Ryan Martin, who is chief support to Morgan next month, is being lined up to be inducted on to their youth programme.

Before the show in March was cancelled, the unbeaten welterweight was told by his trainer Richard Farnan that the largest governing body in the sport wanted him in their programme and to fight for a Youth Silver title later this summer.

Although the 22-year-old returns with a six-round contest against the durable Arvydas Trizno, the former England and Walcot amateur is hoping to impress the WBC representatives at ringside to keep that opportunity alive.

“It is a little bit surreal (being linked with the WBC),” Martin told the Advertiser.

“I associate the WBC with people like (Floyd) Mayweather, Canelo (Alvarez) - all these fighters.

“Now all of a sudden my little team is talking to them on email and they are on about me fighting for their belts.

“It is a little bit surreal, but I do know that it is just around the corner.”

Although a traditionalist - Martin admits he would like to fight for a Southern Area title, then English and if possible a British title – he says that if this WBC chance, which could also hand him a world ranking, comes along first then it is an opportunity he can’t refuse.

“If the WBC want me to fight and be a part of their family then they are the biggest organisation in boxing so I’ll grab it with both hands,” he said.

“It is pretty much guaranteed as long as I can keep winning, then I can fight for the WBC Youth Silver title.

“For me, which route I take isn’t so important right now – it is about taking a route.”

But first Martin knows that he can’t look past his Lithuanian opponent if his plans are not to go up in smoke.

“I try not to think about (the future) too much so that I don’t add to the pressure," he added.

“(To stop thinking about the pressure) you just have to worry about the punches being thrown at you and that is what I’m going to do - worry about the leather being thrown at my head.”