THE British heavyweight champion Scott Welch has vowed to take legal action against the British Boxing Board of Control for not allowing his fight against the veteran Joe Bugner.

The board decided not to grant Bugner a licence to challenge Welch for his WBO inter continental title in Britain next month but Welch is ready to hit back with a writ for restraint of trade and loss of earnings.

This would have been the biggest purse of my career, and it was a big opportunity for me, said Welch from Brighton.

"I still want the fight and I cannot see why they have turned it down. Bugner is better than some other people they have let fight over here. So I cannot seen the problem."

The board ruled that "on the basis of two contests not of a high standard, it is not prepared to grant a licence to Bugner".

Only a few weeks ago, Bugner found his hopes of a British return first blocked by the Commonwealth Council, who would not list him among the contenders for Welch's Commonwealth title.

Promoter Frank Warren was planning to stage Welch Bugner on March 23rd, 10 days after Bugner's 46th birthday.

Warren is going to try again. He will urge the board in writing to reconsider their decision, but is adamant that the fight will go on and recently mentioned the Republic of Ireland, which is outside of the British board's jurisdiction, as a possible venue.

Warren said "Joe has passed all his medicals and the WBO have sanctioned the fight. There can't be a problem with his age because Dennis Andries is still fighting and I promoted George Foreman here when he was past 40.

"Joe has done everything asked of him. He came back and won the Australian title. He has turned the board's argument on its head.

"What is he supposed to do, come back after eight years out and fight somebody in the world top 10? Everyone else I've spoken to hasn't said it's a bad match."