JOE Hughes is being lined up for a second defence of his English super-lightweight title against the man currently top of the British rankings.

The British Board of Control have called for purse bids for a contest between Malmesbury’s Hughes, who is ranked ninth in the country by BoxRec, and Lancashire’s WBO inter-continental champion Jack Catterall.

Hughes, 25, beat Anthony Hardy in July last year to get his hands on the English title before defending his strap by out-pointing the Ricky Hatton-trained Anthony Upton in Walsall in December.

Highly-rated Catterall, 22, is unbeaten in 14 professional contests and sparred with superstar Floyd Mayweather Jr ahead of his super fight with Manny Pacquaio last year, in addition to WBC world middleweight champion Saul Alvarez.

Purse bids for the prospective meeting of Hughes, who trains under Andy O’Kane in Bristol, and Catterall, who is promoted by Frank Warren, are due in by 12 noon on Wednesday, February 10.