Femi Fehintola was today offered first crack at new British super-featherweight champion Carl Johanneson.

Unbeaten Fehintola, from Bradford Moor, is top of the hit list for promoter Rick Manners, who wants to put on a Yorkshire derby for his Leeds-based title holder.

Fehintola, Willy Limond, John Murray and Craig Doherty are all in the mix for an autumn defence for the heavy-punching Johanneson, who won the belt with a fourth-round stoppage over Wembley's Billy Corcoran.

But Manners hopes Fehintola takes up the challenge and serves up a local treat for Yorkshire fight fans by staging the showdown on the doorstep in Leeds or Bradford.

Fehintola has faced Johann-eson before in a tough week of sparring and gave as good as he got.

Manners said: "I think Femi is an ideal challenger. He has a great attitude, he's an unbeaten fighter and a master boxing technician.

"The sparring between them was very competitive and he gave Carl all sorts of problems. Femi had four good days and Carl three.

"Other than Junior Witter, no-one has pushed Carl in sparring to date and, to be fair, Femi doesn't get the respect he deserves.

"Okay, he didn't fight Billy Corcoran for the English title when offered it by Mick Hennessy. They've said that he bottled it but I think it was more of a management decision.

"This fight makes logical sense the classical boxer versus puncher match-up. The question is, will Femi step up to the plate?"

The 24-year-old Fehintola has won all 14 fights since turning pro three years ago. He easily outpointed awkward Ukrainian Nikita Lukin in Sheffield two months ago.

But he is ambitious to push himself forward and Manners hopes he will seize the chance for a shot at the big time.

Manners said: "Any boxer fighting for the British title is what dreams are made of and this sorts the men out from the boys. We want the fight, the question is Femi, do you?'"

Johanneson, the nephew of former Leeds winger Albert, poured scorn on suggestions that Fehintola has got his number.

He said: "He might have done well against me in sparring but I don't think he will fight me for real. Sparring is sparring and fighting is fighting that's what I do best."