Argie Ward is making a name for himself amongst the boxing fraternity after recording the best win of his seven-fight career when he beat the number four in the country last week.

Fighting in Huddersfield last Thursday, the Darlington super bantamweight beat highly-rated London fighter James Yelland on points to put himself in the running for a title fight next year.

He'll need three or four more fights before he reaches that stage but the win certainly puts Ward's name in the frame.

Ward, who fights out of Neil Fannan's Hartlepool gym, said: "Thus is a step up the ladder and it shows that I'm improving all the time.

"I'll be taking a week or two off for Christmas but he certainly didn't get any Christmas presents off me!"

Meanwhile, Ward's stablemate, Francis Jones, is in action tomorrow night in the biggest fight of his career.

The Darlington welterweight is limbering up to appear on the Ricky Hatton undercard at the MEN Arena, Manchester where he'll face Hatton's brother, Matthew.

He'll be up against an opponent who will be on his home patch but that shouldn't worry ultra-confident Jones.

Nicknamed 'The Rat', Jones is undefeated in seven bouts, winning six of them and he enjoyed a most convincing victory last time out in his hometown show at the Dolphin Centre, Darlington in October.

Jones said: "I don't want to sound too confident but I can't wait for the fight.

"I think he lives a bit off his brother's reputation, he's a lot slower and I think I'm going to end up stopping him."