Billy Joe Saunders: Former world champion on Warrington v Frampton undercard

Billy Joe Saunders will compete in Manchester on 22 December

Billy Joe Saunders will return to the ring on 22 December in a first bout since he was denied a licence to defend his WBO world middleweight title.

Saunders, 29, will compete on the undercard of Josh Warrington's IBF world featherweight title defence against Carl Frampton in Manchester.

The Briton was refused a licence by the Massachusetts State Athletic Commission (MSAC) in August due to an adverse Voluntary Anti-Doping Association test.

He is still licensed to box in the UK.

Promoter Frank Warren did not name an opponent but Saunders has shared tweets naming Hungarian Zoltan Sera, who has 32 wins, 17 losses and a draw to his name.

The contest will come a year since Saunders' last outing, when he defended his world title in impressive fashion on away soil against Canada's David Lemieux.

But Saunders, who won the WBO title in 2015, is no longer a world champion, with promoter Warren stating he gave the belt up due to the "mental anguish" of a drawn out battle with the MSAC.

He was due to defend his title against Demetrius Andrade in October until his Voluntary Anti-Doping Association test in August flagged the stimulant oxilofrine, which Warren says was in a "common decongestant nasal spray".

Under World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) and UK Anti-Doping (Ukad) rules, oxilofrine is only banned in competition. That means a fighter is in breach of the regulations only if it is found in their system on the day of a bout.

But it is prohibited at all times by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association, which administered Saunders' test.