British boxing's leading voice today assured Bobby Vanzie: Your European title fight is still on if you want it.

The Bradford lightweight is reeling from the knock-out blow that his clash with Italian Sandro Casamonica is off for the third time.

Vanzie was due to face Casamonica in Trieste on Saturday. But a cash shortage involving the venue meant promoter Salvatore Cherchi had to pull the plug at the 11th hour.

But Simon Block, general secretary of the British Boxing Board of Control, insisted the fight could still go ahead.

It could take place on July 6 - four months behind the original date - in Rome as the chief support to WBC international cruiserweight champion Vincenzo Cantatore.

Block told the Telegraph & Argus: "There's a decision to be made within the Vanzie camp but if the fight was withdrawn from this promoter, it would have to go out to purse offers all over again. That would take time again and it is very likely another purse might be a great deal less.

"If we hang on in there, the odds are that this particular fight will go on quicker and for more money.

"Casamonica had pulled out on the two previous occasions but he has done nothing wrong in this instance. He is available to box and hasn't withdrawn - it was down to the promoter.

"Everything was set up but because of some internal politics in Italy, money that had been promised to the town of Trieste to put this on wasn't forthcoming. Unfortunately Bobby is totally the innocent party in all of this, but so is Casamonica.

"It is the promoter's fault, although Cherchi is not some fly by night, he promotes more fights on behalf of the European Boxing Union than anyone.

"I don't think the EBU have acted improperly. They are a very well run body and Cherchi is their number one promoter - perhaps he gets a little discretion.

"The problem has been with Casamonica firstly and now Cherchi but I would still advice the Vanzie camp to stick with it because of the impressive purse that they stand to gain."

The fight was first planned for March 26 but was pulled four days before when Casamonica reported a training injury. The rearranged date a month later was also postponed late on with a similar complaint from the Italian camp.

Block said: "This is such an important fight for two reasons. If Bobby wins the championship, and he is more than capable, then any defences will be very lucrative and it would also significantly improve his WBC ranking and his chances of perhaps fighting for that top world belt.

"Tommy Gilmour and myself have worked very hard to get Bobby into this position and make sure his work in the ring is properly rewarded."

British champion Vanzie admits he is in two minds whether to keep pursuing the Casamonica pay day.

He said: "This week has been the last straw. How many more times am I going to have to take my body to the well?

"It's like some kind of sick plot to keep me out of the lightweight running. I keep expecting to see Jeremy Beadle coming running up my garden path at any minute and announcing it's all a big joke.

"I'm totally out in the cold now and while the Bradford public have been very sympathetic I feel as if I've become the forgotten man.

"I'm not going to depend on the board or my promoter. They are talking about a new date but we will have to see, I've got a family to support and tough decisions are going to have to be made."