MATTHEW BARNEY'S rematch with Portsmouth's Tony Oakey has been put back until after Christmas.

It had been hoped that Southampton's first ever world boxing champion would defend his WBU light-heavyweight crown against Oakey in December on a show in either Cardiff or Manchester.

But Barney yesterday received the news that he must wait to face the man he beat for the title at Portsmouth's Mountbatten Centre last month.

He said: "I was ready to fight in December but they have come back and said they want to make it January. It's disappointing and I will just have to hold back on my training a bit now."