By Matt Bozeat

THE English female championship is being revived after more than 18 years next month.

The vacant featherweight belt will be on the line when Jess Barry meets Chelsey Arnell at Birmingham’s Holiday Inn Hotel on Sunday, December 1.

There has only been one previous fight for the female English title, between Cathy Brown and Juliette Winter for the vacant bantamweight belt at the York Hall in September, 2006.

Jon Pegg, the show’s matchmaker and Barry’s manager, said: “There was no British title to go for afterwards in those days, so the English champion was the best in Britain.

“They were probably the only two in their country at the weight at the time.

“I didn’t even know there was an English title for women.   

“I only found out when I rang up the Board trying to get Jess a shot at the Celtic title and they said: ‘Why not go for the English title ?’”

Barry (Coventry) reckons the prospect of winning the St George’s belt has convinced Arnell (Hull) to face her, a year after the fight was first mooted.

“We were going to fight this time last year,” she said, “but she pulled out the week before due to an illness.

“We asked for the fight again and it didn’t happen. I think the belt is a big incentive to take the fight.”

Pegg believes victory would set Barry up for a shot at the British title, at either featherweight or super-bantamweight.

He said: “This is the next step.

“Jess started off with a couple of fights against journeywomen, had a loss (to Vaida Masiokaite), beat a Czech who was 3-1 (Lenka Volejnikova) and then became the first to stop Beccy Ferguson (for the Midlands Area super-featherweight title in June).

“The next step is the English title and if she comes through this she will be ready for the British title next year.”