Mathews is targeting a British title shot by the end of the year (Getty)

Liverpool's former WBU featherweight world champion Derry Mathews will make his comeback at the city's Olympia Theatre on 19 July.

Mathews has not fought since suffering his first professional defeat and with it the loss of his title to Choi Tseveenpurev in Bolton on 5 April.

He told BBC Radio Merseyside: "The show is called 'back with a bang' so hopefully that's how it will go.

"It's a 10-round fight, against an international opponent."

The bill had originally been scheduled for 26 July but has been brought forward by one week.

Mathews, whose record now stands at 20 wins and one defeat with 11 knock-outs, is the mandatory challenger for the British title.

He hopes to fight for that belt in December should he come through his July contest unscathed.