Paul Halpin's fight plans have been put on hold by a nasty eye injury.

It has wrecked the Hove featherweight's hopes of a title shot in the New Year.

Halpin suffered a cut above his left eye in a clash of heads when he outpointed Manchester's Eddie Nevins at Wembley in August.

He was scheduled to fight for the WBO inter-continental title at the end of January, but the wound re-opened in sparring.

"The specialist is going to split the cut open again, remove the scar tissue and re-stitch it from the inside," Halpin said.

"I am gutted. It has messed up everything. I was supposed to go to America as well for sparring.

"I'm unbeaten in 12 fights, but I've not had much luck in this game so far.

"A blood clot put me out for a year, I've had various other injuries and a split with my promoter put me back six months.

"Now I have just got to keep my chin up and get on with it."

Halpin is targeting a return to the ring in February or March, then a crack at the inter-continental crown in April.