Smith knocked out Thornton in the seventh round of their fight.

Liverpool middleweight Paul Smith Jnr has been ruled out of action for up to six weeks after breaking his left hand over the weekend.

The 25-year-old sustained the injury during his victory by knockout over Leeds' Danny Thornton on the Amir Khan show at Manchester's MEN Arena.

Smith told BBC Radio Merseyside: "At the beginning of the fourth round I broke my hand.

"The doctor said I have to have five to six weeks with the cast on."

The injury comes as a blow to Smith who knocked Thornton out in the seventh round of their contest, as he was due to fight in Liverpool on 6 October.

It has been a trying few months for the Commonwealth Games Silver Medallist of 2002.

He lost his English Title to Coventry's Steven Bendall in June and saw a subsequent rematch scrapped, when Bendall withdrew through injury.

I just get on with it and do what I can do and the things I can't change I don't waste my energy worrying about Paul Smith

"I'm feeling alright and I'm used to it (the injuries and setbacks) now as boxing is a very unpredictable game," added Smith.

"I had a little experience of it earlier in my career and I've had a lot of it since.

"I just get on with it and do what I can do and the things I can't change I don't waste my energy worrying about."

He hopes to return on 6 December and is targeting a shot at current British Champion Wayne Elcock.

Smith said: "I believe Frank Warren (his promoter) can get me Elcock for December 6 and that's what we're trying to work on."