MALMESBURY fighter Joe Hughes will have to travel to Italy at the end of this month in his attempt to be crowned EBU European super-lightweight champion.

Having already been matched with Italian Andrea Scarpa for the vacant title, Hughes only learned last week where the contest would be held, with the fight a joint venture between promoters Matchroom and Italian-based OPI Since 82.

The 28-year-old will now have to face Scarpa in front of his opponent's home crowd in Florence on Friday, November 30.

Hughes has already challenged for the belt once, suffering a unanimous decision defeat at the hands of Swede Anthony Yigit at Leicester Arena last December.

Hughes admitted that contest felt like the opportunity of a lifetime and after being left disappointed with his display, he is ready to seize his second shot with both hands.

“My manger had been getting in touch with some promoters to see if we could do a deal, then Eddie Hearn came back and said he’d be interested in putting it on in Italy,” said Hughes.

“Obviously we would have preferred it in England. Going to Italy is going to make it tough, I will have to win by that extra mile.

“That’s what I’m aiming to do. I want to go there and win as convincingly as I can and see what happens after that.

“I have a bit of training left to go, then one week of chilling out and travelling to get myself over there.

“I feel like I’m in good shape, I have been training all year so it has all been good. I was expecting the fight to be a little bit later, but it’s okay because it hasn’t just been dropped on me.

“Last time it was a lifetime opportunity and I knew going into that I wasn’t at my best, but I went for it because I wasn’t sure if it would come up again.

“I’ve been lucky that I’ve managed to get a second shot at it and this time I plan on bringing the belt home.”

Hughes, who stands at 5’7 has a considerable height disadvantage to Scarpa, who is 6’2 with a record of 23-4.

However, the Wiltshire fighter is not concerned by the physical discrepancy.

“I normally have a good mix of sparring but I am making sure I do a little bit of extra stuff with taller fighters,” he said.

“It’s something I am used to, when I was an amateur I was always up against people who were taller that me so I am used to it.

“It’s not an issue, I’ve fought people with a much bigger that him and he has to weigh the same as me.”