GWENT'S Welsh Commonwealth Games gold medallist Jamie Arthur is set to make his long-awaited professional debut in Cardiff next month.

The Cwmbran lightweight has been pencilled in for a show, possibly at the CIA, on March 29.

It will probably be a world title bill featuring Newbridge's WBO super-middleweight champion and Arthur's Frank Warren's Sports Network stablemate Joe Calzaghe.

Nothing has been confirmed yet, but the prospect is already exciting the 22-year-old, who is on the final shortlist of eight for the Welsh Sports Personality of the Year award on Monday.

He earned his place after becoming the first Welsh boxer since former world featherweight champion Howard Winstone in 1958 to strike Commonwealth gold in Manchester in the summer.

"It seems definite I'll be making my debut in Wales and, after waiting for so long, I'm really excited at the prospect," said Arthur, who has already made it clear he intends to emulate Winstone again by becoming a world champion.

"It was nice to have Christmas off but I missed the New Year celebrations because of flu and, if anything, that has made me keener to get started."

Despite his illness, Arthur has been training in the gym two or three times a week and maintaining his road work as he awaits his professional licence from the British Boxing Board of Control.

"I've had all the tests and been through the interviews and the licence is due to come through on January 16," said the youngster, who is looking for some sponsorship help.

"After that, it will be all systems go and I'll be knuckling down for that first fight."

The youngster, a scaffolder by trade, is working part time for Cwmbran-based DJ Refrigeration at the moment and could do with some sponsorship help with equipment as he bids to get what many judges expect to be a top-class pro career off the ground.

Meanwhile Arthur is looking forward to the Welsh Sports Personality of the Year awards.