SCOTT Quigg will bid to mark his place in history when he makes the second defence of his world title against hard-hitting Argentinean Diego Silva in Manchester later this month.

Silva was announced today as the 25-year-old Bury boxer’s next opponent.

The pair will fight for the WBA super-bantamweight crown on the Froch-Groves undercard at the Phones 4U Arena on November 23.

It will mark a quick return to the ring for Bolton-based Quigg, who retained the crown he was handed outside the ring in a battling draw against Cuban fighter Yoandris Salinas at London’s O2 Arena on October 5.

“Scott Quigg is one of only five world champions to hail from Greater Manchester and he felt it was important to be able to celebrate that fact with fans in his own back yard,” said trainer Joe Gallagher.

“What an amazing honour to be able to go into the ring at the Manchester Arena in front of 18,000 fans wearing that belt.

“It will cap what has been a brilliant year for Scott.

“It would have been impossible to dream 12 months ago, when he beat Rendall Munroe to the interim title in the very same arena, that he would be coming back so soon as a world champion.”

Not that Gallagher, who trains Quigg out of Amir Khan’s Gloves Gym, is underestimating his South American opponent.

The 30-year-old reigning Latino champion has lost just two of his 35 professional bouts, with 15 of his 29 victories coming via knockouts.

Silva’s last defeat came at the hands of tough Mexican Fernando Montiel – a former world champion at three weights – in an interim WBO bantamweight battle.

And Gallagher believes he has the kind of experience in the ring that demands respect.

“There has a been a lot of talk about a possible reunification fight next year with Kiko Martinez, but I don’t think Scott should be looking so far into the future,” he said.

“All you can do as a fighter is make sure you win your next fight and this will be a tough one.

“Silva is heavy handed and fights with a lot of energy and confidence, and I know he will be out to make a name for himself. Scott has already done that.

“He has put in the hard work to get to the top, now he knows he will have to work just as hard to stay there.”

While the fight may be close to home, many of Quigg’s fans will have to settle on watching it live on Sky, with tickets to the hugely anticipated Froch-Groves bout selling out before Quigg was confirmed on the undercard.

It will be a busy night for Gallagher with Anthony Crolla, another one his Bolton-based boxers, also fighting on the bill, bidding to win back his British lightweight title from Martin Gethin.