Don't belt out a chorus of Viva Las Vegas within earshot of Femi Fehintola this week.

Frustrated Fehintola should have been on the Ricky Hatton undercard at the Paris Casino in America's fight capital.

But instead he will be glued to his TV screen in the early hours of Sunday morning after fracturing an ankle while out running.

The Bradford Moor super-featherweight admitted: "I slipped on some black ice and I've only been off crutches for a couple of weeks.

"I'm gutted because I was going to be in a six-rounder over there. After losing the British title fight, it would have been a brilliant one to come back to in front of thousands of fans in Las Vegas.

"They asked me if I still wanted to go over and watch Ricky. But it would have done my head in to be sat there at ringside and not be able to get in the ring."

While Fight Academy stablemate Hatton aims to win back his IBF light-welterweight crown against Juan Urango, Fehintola is determined to regain his position in the domestic ranks after November's loss to British champion Carl Johanneson.

Fehintola was stopped in six rounds - the first defeat of his pro career - but believes he has learned plenty as a result.

He added: "It was just my lack of experience that cost me. When he caught me, I just stood there and kept giving him a target to aim at.

"In an ideal world I probably needed another 12 months before facing him but I had to see that for myself. The experience hasn't put me off at all or shaken my confidence because I know I can survive in that league.

"It was the perfect learning fight and if I had to turn the clock back, I wouldn't change anything - apart from the result.

"But I know I'll come back a ten-times better fighter for that experience. I didn't get hurt; I lost; that was it."

Fehintola has been given the all-clear to return to the gym next week and hopes to be back in the ring some time in March. And he does not want to take any backward steps over the quality of his future opponents.

"Fighting Johanneson was a big step-up for me and I'm not going to drop back to facing journeymen again because it doesn't prove anything.

"I'm now looking for another two or three fights at a decent class and then we'll see what opportunities are out there. The next year is about building myself back up to where I should be."