Junior Witter will defend his European title within the next two months.

Witter expects to face Ukrainian Andreas Kotelnik at the "end of June or beginning of July" - and admits he cannot wait to get stuck in.

The Bradford light-welter has been given the Lonsdale Belt after three years as British champion without receiving a single challenge.

But Witter would rather earn his success the hard way, which is why he is counting down the days for the showdown with Kotelnik.

He said: "It's definitely going to be soon and I also reckon it's going to be this side of the north-south divide. Unfortunately it won't be Bradford but probably either Sheffield or Nottingham, depending on what Mick Hennessy can sort out.

"The good thing with the European title is that it is very active and there are things I've got to do with that.

"I've now won the British outright and there is nobody out there to challenge me - well there is one but not for the British.

"But if Ricky Hatton wants to come back and try for the European after he loses to Kostya Tszyu then the offer is there."

Witter is itching to build on his stunning US debut earlier in the year. But the broken left hand he suffered in beating Lovemore N'Dou in February has forced him to be patient.

Witter said: "The hand is holding up all right at the minute. I'm letting a few punches go and seeing how it feels.

"But the doctor is happy enough and I've just got to start using it at full power."

Witter flies out to Gran Canaria next week for some warm-weather training in the Anfi Del Mar resort - and knows it will be no holiday.

"Out there I'm on show all the time so I've got to look good," he said. "People are watching me so I have to perform in training like I can perform in the ring.

"But I can't wait to go because I'm ready for it. I want to get back in the ring because it feels such a long time since the last fight.

"I want to be back to how I should feel like. I'm not there yet but I know that in a couple of weeks I'll be flying again and letting the power flow through.

"I hate all this waiting around and I want to get busy. I'm hoping to get back out to America twice more before the end of the year.

"There are things in the pipeline but nothing anywhere near concrete. I'll just get the European defence out the way first and be back in business."