BRITISH super-featherweight champion Gary Buckland has a new opponent for his homecoming fight at the Newport Centre on July 21.

The St Josephs fighter was due to take on Albanian Ibrar Riyaz in his first bout on home soil in nearly three years but will now face Poland’s Maurycy Gojko instead.

The 35-year-old Pole has a better record than Riyaz and Buckland’s camp believe he will provide their man with a tougher test ahead of his title defence against Stephen Foster Jr.

Gojko has 19 wins on his record and has also faced European champion Ermano Fegatilli, losing on points.

“We weren’t completely happy with Ruyaz as an opponent for Gary,” explained Buckland’s manager Brian Powell.

“Gojko is a much better fighter and will provide Gary with a sterner test.

“He took Fegatilli the distance as well so he will give us a benchmark to see where Gary is in relation to the European champion.”

Belgian Fegatilli is defending his belt in Italy against Devis Boschiero on the same night as Buckland takes on Gojko.

“Gary will fight Foster Jr on October 5, probably in Sheffield,” added Powell. “If he wins that he could fight the winner of Fegatilli and Boschiero, possibly in Italy, or take a third defence of the British title to win the Lonsdale belt outright.”

Buckland headlines the ‘Return of the Welsh Warriors’ show presented by Steve Sims Promotions in association with Tony Borg.

Also on the bill Pontypool’s Jeff Evans defends his Welsh light-heavyweight title against Newport’s Justyn Hugh and St Joes super-middleweight Frankie Borg takes on Danny Butler for the British Masters belt.

The first bell is at 7.30pm and tickets costing £30 are available from the box office on 01633 656757.