JASON Booth turned back the clock with a superb display to retain his British super-bantamweight title at a sweltering York Hall on Tuesday night.

OK, the limited Rocky Dean wasn't great opposition. But he was tough and took everything that Booth threw at him - all

1,127 punches.

That was a phenomenal display, given the fact that Booth, 31, only arrived at the venue with 35 minutes to spare due to traffic problems and was cut in the first after a clash of heads.

So who is next for Booth and at what weight?

Was it just a coincidence that former British bantamweight champion Martin Power was on the undercard at the York Hall?

Power (8st 12lbs) beat journeyman Sid Razak 59-55, coming off four defeats in a row.

Michael Hunter (31-29(13)-1) would be a handful for Booth. Beaten only once (a 5th-round KO to Steve Molitor, the man who took the Commonwealth title away from Jason's brother, Nicky) he stopped Dean in one round.

Esham Pickering had Hunter down twice in their title fight but he showed his battling qualities to take a majority decision.

*Lithuanian met Latvian on the undercard of Booth v Dean.

And it was Latvia who came off second based as Mansfield-based Alex Spitko, up to 11-3-7 from 9-11, was stopped in 1-10 of the last of four by unbeaten Tomas Grublys.

*Andreas Kotelnik says he will beat Amir Khan - and dedicate the victory to Oscar winning actor Jack Palance.

Kotelnik puts his WBA World light-welterweight title on the line against Khan at the M.E.N Arena, Manchester, on July 18.

And he is predicting a spectacular KO in the fight, inspired by his idol Palance, whose family also came from the Ukraine. In the early 1940s Palance was a heavyweight prospect, winning his first 15 fights before the war cut short his career.

"When I met him, he patted me on the head and told me America was where I had to conquer if I wanted to make it big," said Kotelnik.

"I've not quite got that far yet, but I am a world champion and after I have knocked out Amir Khan I will go to America and prove that I am the best light-welterweight in the world.

"We have had some very famous Ukrainians over the years, but I will become the most famous of them all when I smash Khan."

*Mansfield-based Pavel Senkovs is in demand. He is due out against Dean Anderson at the Tower Ballroom in Edgbaston tomorrow. And he is penciled in to tackle James Barker in Altrincham next Saturday.

*Big-hitting amateur Curtis Valentine is turning professional. He has already impressed trainer Tony Harris, who says he is first in the gym and last out.

"I'm happy to have Curtis. I knew his dad going back to our school days," said Harris. "I have high hopes for him because he can bang - with both hands."

Harris plans to showcase Valentine on a Jason Booth show in the City asap.

*It appears that WBC super-middleweight champ Carl Froch is still no closer to finding an opponent.

Talk of fights with Bernard Hopkins, Kelly Pavlik, Mikkel Kessler and Lucian Bute have come to nothing. In fact Bute has now agreed a rematch with Librado Andrade in September, so he is off the radar.

Meanwhile, rumours continued to circulate about Pavlik, who was scheduled to face Sergio Mora, only to pull out with an "infection". He is now said to have personal problems.

*Nottingham light-heavyweight Paddy Ryan is thinking about a comeback after four years out. He previously had four fights, winning two and losing two.