The advent of social media and the need for 24 hour information means that it is becoming rarer and rare for a fight announcement to come as a bolt out of the blue.

The recent news that Andrew Cain, 13-1 (12 KOs), and Charlie Edwards, 20-1 (7 KOs), had agreed a deal to fight was a rare but welcome surprise.

Cain’s British and Commonwealth titles will be on the line when the bantamweights meet in Liverpool on March 15th but it is highly likely that the fight will have world title implications by the time the first bell sounds.

Last March, Cain suffered serious hand injuries during a thrilling, brutal ten round split decision defeat to Ionut Baluta up at super bantamweight.

The damage sidelined him for 13 months but earlier this year he returned at 118lbs and has been unstoppable. He knocked out Ash Lane to win the British and Commonwealth ties and then collected a WBC ranking belt by knocking out Colombia’s Lazaro Casseres.

Former WBC flyweight champion, Edwards, won the European title in September and represents a significant step up in class but it is one Cain’s trainer, Paul Stevenson, believes his fighter is ready for.

“I'd liked it as an option for a long time but I just didn't think they'd take it,” Stevenson told The Ring. “But here we are, happy days.

“He's got a good world ranking and Andrew's starving to be a world champion. He can do this job and then get a world title fight, probably his next fight, or the one after that.”

Cain is known and respected within the boxing industry and could have played the long game and negotiated his way through the bantamweight rankings against a series of tough but anonymous South Americans.

Edwards provides him with a significant shortcut.

For a dangerous fighter like Cain to be given the chance to break through against such a recognisable, established British rival is rare.

Edwards is positioned at number three with the IBF and number five with the WBC. Beating him will move Cain to within touching distance of a title shot but also give his profile an invaluable boost.

Stevenson recognises the opportunity Cain has been given.

“Yeah, we're lucky to it because, as I say, I'm surprised they’ve taken it because he's probably higher up the rankings than we are and he's got more to lose, to be honest.

“We've got a great fighter in Andrew Cain. He’s a real powerhouse, knockout merchant. He’s ferocious.He's like a demon. When you look in his eyes, he's a vicious man.

“This fight at this time is just perfect. It will vault him up. It's getting a year's worth of fights done in one fight in terms of rankings and it just put us perfectly where we want to be.

“He's ready to fight for the world title, Andrew. He needs it. He wants it now.”