Thaxton is no longer British champion (Getty)

Jon Thaxton will fight Juan Carlos Diaz Melero for the vacant European lightweight title in Norwich.

The Norwich fighter has pulled out of a proposed third British title defence against Lee Meager next month, relinquishing his belt in the process.

Thaxton was badly cut while challenging Yuri Romanov for the European belt in April and his team felt July was too soon to risk it opening up again.

He will fight Melero in September, but a venue has yet to be decided.

Romanov vacated his place as European champion to pursue WBA honours, and Thaxton told BBC Radio Norfolk he was pleased to get an unexpected second crack at the title.

"In life you don't get many second chances, but I've got a second chance for the European title and I'm going to take it," he said.

After winning the British title against Lee Meager at the end of 2006 Thaxton's aim had been to retain the Lonsdale Belt on a permanent basis by winning a third successful defence.

But he admitted his own well being, and the chance of international honours, had to take precedence.

He added: "My first thought was 'no chance, I'm not relinquishing it,' but I spoke to my agent Neil Featherby who thought it was the best option because of the cut.

"I'm supposed to fight in less than four weeks and my cut is not really ready. It's about doing the sensible thing, maybe he could see that and I couldn't."