Chris Aston reckons another sparring session with world boxing champion Argenis Mendez was just the ticket for Tyrone Nurse as the Huddersfield man gears up for his big English light-welterweight title challenge next month.

The Crosland Moor-based 23-year-old is already deep into his preparations for the Roses showdown with holder Shayne Singleton, from Colne, at Manchester’s Bowler’s Arena on Friday, September 20.

Trainer Aston believes victory in a clash which was postponed back in June because of a hand injury to Singleton, also 23, will bolster hopes of a British title challenge to Bristol holder Darren Hamilton later this year.

Mendez, from the Dominican Republic, puts his IBF super-featherweight title on the line against Canadian-based Afghan Arash Usmanee in New York on Friday in a show promoted by Mike Tyson.

“It was quality work with Mendez, who held his training camp in England,” said Aston, whose man also sparred with the 27-year-old back in February.

“Mendez was obviously well on in his preparations, and very sharp, and that was no bad thing for Tyrone, who learned a lot.”

Nurse has also been sparring with fellow Central area champion Scott Cardle, the Lytham lightweight, as he looks to stretch a win record of 26 in 27 bouts against Singleton, who has won all 15 as a professional.

The last of those was a six-round points success over Brighton’s Kevin McCauley in Bolton in July, four months after Singleton took the English belt from Curtis Woodhouse, the Driffield-based former professional footballer.

Nurse outpointed London-based Jamaican Mark McKray over six rounds at Bowler’s Arena on the original date of the showdown with Singleton, who has a vocal following, many of them Burnley football fans.

“It’s going to be loud,” smiled Aston, who can be contacted on 07917 881114 regarding tickets. “There’s a lot of interest on both sides of the Pennines in this one, and there is plenty at stake for the winner.

“We’re certainly not dismissing the value of an English title in its own right, but it does strengthen claims to fight for the British, and the board will surely find it hard to dismiss the claims of whoever wins next month.”

Huddersfield-based lightweight Youssef Al Hamidi suffered an eight-round points defeat by Welshman Craig Evans in Cardiff.