KEIGHLEY boxer Muhammad Ali hopes to step up his bid for a Rio Olympics spot early next year after his eye injury forced the cancellation of last week's scheduled showdown with Jack Bateson.

Ali had been due to take on his West Yorkshire rival for the GB flyweight slot in a sell-out headline clash in Sheffield as part of the Great Britain Boxing Championships.

But the cut on his left eye, sustained at the World Championships in Doha in October, has not healed in time.

The 19-year-old will now focus on a return to action in the World Series of Boxing events at York Hall, London, which are held from January to March and will see him step up to five rounds for the first time.

This competition will serve as preparation for the Olympic qualifiers in Istanbul, Turkey, from April 20-May 1.

Ali's dad Shahid Saleem admitted the European silver medalist was disappointed to miss the chance to fight Bateson, from Otley, on the big stage in front of the Sky TV cameras.

"The show sold out within an hour and there were two coaches booked to go from Keighley," said Shahid.

"Ali suffered a bad gash but the doctor thought it would heal in time. However, when he took the plaster off last week, there was still blood there.

"Ali wanted to fight as he doesn't want anything given him on a plate."

Ali's club trainer Mike Jelley, of Bury ABC, had already expressed his concern that the Bateson bout was too soon after his injury, which forced an early end to the quarter-final bout with number two seed Elvin Mamishzada in Doha.

Though Ali now spends the majority of his training time under GB coaches, Jelley maintains a strong interest in the fortunes of a boxer he has developed since the age of 14.

The veteran trainer, who coached Amir Khan, said: "His eye is still not right and I just hope he gets it sorted out as he has a great career in front of him.

"I know they have top medical people working at Sheffield and I just hope they look after him."

The Keighley boxer suffered an injury to the same eye earlier in the year at the European Games in what is his first year competing at senior level without headguards.

Jelley believes the amateur game should return to using head protection, given the frequency of bouts competitors have to box in at major amateur championships.

He said: "Pros will have three months in between fights, whereas amateurs might have to box several times in a week, and nothing gets time to heal properly."

The controversial decision to remove headgear from all senior men's major amateur competitions – taken in 2013 – was based on medical evidence that their absence would actually decrease the number of concussions.