BOXER Eli Frankham’s plans to turn professional have stalled over a “mix-up with the paperwork” - but he is still tipping himself as a future British Champion.

The 19-year-old, from Walpole St Andrew, had hoped to make his pro debut this month after agreeing to join the elite under Tanya Follett, Britain’s first female boxing manager.

But he is now hoping that the paperwork and his licence from the British Boxing Board of Control will be sorted in time for a debut in March.

Frankham said: “I know there’s a show in Norwich in March so that’s what I’m aiming for. That would be nice as it’s closer for fans in the Fens.

“There was a bit of a mix-up with the paperwork but it should be sorted soon. I still want to get five fights in this year and next year I want to fight for a title.

“I set my own goals and I want to be British Champion in three years. That’s ambitious but you have got to have a dream in order to fulfil it.”

Frankham, who now lives in Wokingham, is in intensive training and hopes to compete at cruiserweight. He has been boxing since he was 11 and won 27 of his 32 amateur bouts.

His cousin, ‘Gypsy’ Johnny Frankham, was a British light-heavyweight champion in the 1970s and his father, Eli snr, was a top bare-knuckle fighter crowned ‘King of the Gypsies’.

Eli snr died in September 2007, days before his son was crowned European Schoolboy Champion in Portsmouth.