Labour peers Lord Warner and Baroness Wall of New Barnet both opposed any attempt to slow up the passage of the bill.

BBC: House of Lords told delays 'could kill off NHS bill'

But that was before the Premier League and Watson's ring-induced injuries banished boxing to hidden corners in the tabloids, buried beneath news of Becks' new barnet and nightclub brawls.

BBC: SPORT | Boxing | Eastman deserves nation's pride

Fairclough, who combines his England role with his job as manager of League Two side Barnet, has named half a dozen new faces in his squad to face a side made up of young players from the Irish League.

BBC: SPORT | Football | Non League | Fairclough plotting next phase