By Elliot Foster

Tony Dodson has been offered a lifeline by his manager.

The Liverpudlian has recently recovered from a potential career-ending Achilles injury but could yet get another crack at the big-time.

Dodson, 35, has been out of the ring since last January when he outpointed Richard Horton over six rounds at the O2 Arena in London.

And after lengthy rehabilitation period following the injury suffered in the build-up to his clash against Hosea Burton last May, Dodson (32-8-1, 15 KOs) could end up fighting at the same venue.

He was set to take on Burton at Goodison Park before suffering the devastating ailment and he has now been given the chance to fight the man who took Burton’s undefeated record.

‘The Hammer’ was knocked out in the final of 12 rounds at the Manchester Arena on December 10 by Frank Buglioni (19-2-1, 15 KOs) and Dodson revealed that he has been offered a shot at the British light-heavyweight title which is currently in possession of the Enfield man.

“There’s nothing confirmed but I’ve been offered it and I’ve accepted it,” Dodson told Boxing Scene on Thursday. “The thing is, I want paying for it.”

The fight, were it to get the green light from all sides, would land on the undercard of David Haye’s heavyweight showdown against Tony Bellew, exclusively live on Sky Sports Box Office, on March 4 at the aforementioned O2 Arena.

“If they don’t come across with the money I want, it’s not happening, it’s that simple. But if they do then it’s on. I’ve got seven weeks and, not being in shape, I’d have to move mountains to make the 175-pound limit.

“I was offered reasonable money to box Burton on the Bellew [vs. Ilunga Makabu] card, but this is a much bigger magnitude. It’s pay-per-view on Sky Sports, it’s a massive show, so I’ll want something in the region of double the last offer.

“I’m coming back from a horrid injury but I’ve told them what I want and am waiting for a response.”

‘Warrior’ Dodson, who has won English and British honours in a career which started in 1999, along with numerous other minor belts, is now having the back end of his time in the sport guided by Haye alongside trainer Scott Hamilton.

“My injury is sound now,” he continued. “I’m back in training, back in the gym and running. I’m going to try to get two or three sessions in a day.

“If they come back and say it’s off because I’ve priced myself out, I couldn’t give a flying f**k. This could possibly be my last fight so I want paying for it. The show is going to make enough money, so they’ve got to pay me.

“David offered me the fight and I accepted it straight away. He told me that it was a massive opportunity and that I was never going to get this sort of money again because I’m not in a position to be commanding anything.

“So I told him that’s how it is. If they want it, they can have it.”

Dodson would question the motives of the team of Buglioni –– and the fighter himself –– if he were not to take the fight.

“The card’s great, but who else is he [Buglioni] going to fight? He could fight Miles Shinkwin and could get that fight for less [money], but it wouldn’t be as good a fight as it will be with me.

“Our styles will gel and make for a great fight.

“But like I said, if they want me to fight and make weight well enough for the fight then coming back from what I’ve been through over this past year I have to be paid accordingly for it.”