WILLIE LIMOND'S second defence of the Commonwealth light-welterweight title, scheduled for the St Andrew's Club Burns Night show on January 20, has been called off due to a shoulder injury.

The 34-year-old had hoped to mark the anniversary of his annexation of the 140lbs belt, when he spectacularly knocked Eddie Doyle cold inside a round on the marquee night in the St Andrew's club's calendar, by defending against Ghanaian challenger Ebenezer Lamptey.

However, the shoulder, which was injured during training, has failed to pass medical examination and Limond could have to wait until March to meet the African.

Replacing the Limond fight on the top of the bill will be a mouth- watering Scottish light-welterweight title fight featuring Mitch Prince, the man Limond beat in his first defence of his Commonwealth title, and domestic boss Stuart Green.

St Andrew's supremo Tommy Gilmour said: "Sadly Willie is not going to manage to defend his title on our Burns Night show. He was desperate to try to repeat his spectacular performance against Eddie with another explosive display, but after medical examination by our doctor, it was confirmed his shoulder will not pass muster.

"It was an injury picked up in training and these things happen in boxing but hopefully Willie will recover quickly and we can get Ebenezer Lantei Lamptey over, maybe in March, and get it on."

Gilmour reckons the Green versus Prince punch-up is the perfect fight to fill the gap at the top of his post-festive fight card.

He said: "Although I am disappointed for Willie and our members that he will not make it, in Mitch Prince versus Stuart Green we could not have a better replacement top-of-the-bill fight. These two got it on almost three years back for the Scottish title and Stuart edged it by a single session, over 10 see-sawing rounds.

"I know how much that defeat has rankled with Mitch and he has pestered me ever since to get a re-match with Stuart. Now he has that opportunity on the most historic night on our calendar and the chance to follow in the footsteps of legends like Jim Watt and Ken Buchanan."

After pushing Limond all the way over 12 pulsating rounds of action at the Bellahouston Centre last June in one of the best domestic barnstormers in recent years, Gilmour says a Scottish title success for the former self-styled Prince of Passion would help him charge again.

He said: "The Scottish title has been the stepping stone to greater things for many of our best fighters and there is no more fitting place to win it than at the St Andrew's Club Burns Night show."

Also featuring are former Scottish Amateur champion Michael McGurk and debutant Chris Liddell.