Wolvercote's Steve Mullins may have been deprived of the decision against James Degale at last Friday's ABA finals, but it is the 24-year-old Witney boxer who will be performing on the international stage this week.

Degale reported having a sore jaw after their middleweight clash at the London ExCel Centre and a medical examination confirmed that he suffered a hairline fracture.

Faz Keyani, Wolvercote's chief coach, was contacted by England boxing supremo Terry Edwards early yesterday morning and immediately sprinted round to Mullins to tell him the good news face to face.

"When someone from your club becomes its first England senior international, that kind of news cannot be delivered in a telephone call," he said.

"It's a very proud moment for both Steve Mullins and Wolvercote Boxing Club to know he will be wearing the England vest.

"And it underlines what we have been trying to achieve for boxing in Oxfordshire, not in one of the more favoured areas like London or Liverpool."

Mullins joins the England squad in Liverpool later today for the weigh-in ahead of the Four Nations Tournament that brings together the best boxers from Ireland, Scotland, Wales and the host nation to crown a champion of the British Isles in each of the 11 weights.

And he is looking forward to the experience.

"I always hoped that I would box for England one day, although it arrived quicker than I thought," said Mullins.

"Naturally, I was very disappointed with the decision in London, but this is the right kind of compensation."

Mullins joins Welsh champion Wayne O'Sullivan, Scotland's Craig McEwan and Athens Olympian Andy Lee in the draw for the tomorrow's middleweight semi-finals, with the two winners meeting in the Liverpool ring 24 hours later.