THE PERFECT BIRTHDAY PRESENT.

Nigel Wright enters his 32nd year on a high after being handed a shot at the English belt he proudly held from March 2005 until vacating it in September 2008.

Wright will face Wolverhampton’s Dean Harrison at Rainton Meadows Arena in Houghton-le-Spring on Friday, July 23.

At 31, Wright is five years older than his fellow challenger for the vacant belt.

But Nigel was looking as fresh as the proverbial daisy as he spoke at Frank Maloney’s press conference to publicise the show.

“I’m happy,” Wright said. “I want to get my old title back and then, fingers crossed, get a shot at Lenny Daws.”

Harrison is no pushover however.

The 26-year-old from the Black Country has won 16 of his 19 bouts (five victories coming inside the distance) and in his last appearance he stopped Ben Lawler inside the first round his hometown to lift the Midlands Area crown.

Harrison has lost both his main title challenges – to Scott Haywood in September 2008 in Nottingham, where they were fighting for the English belt vacated by Wright, while he was stopped in four rounds by Paul McCloskey in Widnes in a British championship match in March 2009.

“I’ve watched Dean a couple of times before,” said Nigel. “He’s good, he’s fit and he’s game and I thought he was unlucky to lose against Scott Haywood.”

Wright’s record is an impressive one – 21 wins in 28 appearances, with just six losses.

His most recent outing saw him defeat ex-world champion Alex Arthur in Newcastle last December.