What do you think of your opponent, Craig Cunningham?
Itโs my biggest fight in the pro ranks against my best opponent. Craig Cunningham, heโs a real good fighter. His recordโs 16-1 but really heโs unbeaten, his one fight he lost to Tom Doran in Prizefighter. Itโs a three round fight so you canโt really read too much into it. I actually thought he won all three rounds, definitely the last two but he got put over in round one which cost him the fight.
Heโs awkward, heโs cagey so Iโm going to have to bring my A-game and bring my best to beat him and thatโs what Iโm been working hard in the gym every day to do.
Your injuries have been well documented but are you finally 100%?
Hand on heart, the best Iโve felt since the Commonwealth Games in 2010.
All the things Iโve been through the last five, six years, the one thing Iโve got to contend with is a blister on my foot.
I think this is going to be the first time genuinely Iโm going to go to the ring, feeling 100% and people can now start to rate me, if Iโm good or not. Iโve been putting in substandard performances, to my own opinion, because Iโve been so injured in training.
Iโve got a long way to go I know that but just give the world a glimpse of how good I can potentially be one day.
Do you think youโll fight again this year?
The plan, obviously, itโs very much one step at a time, I donโt want to look too far ahead but the plan is fight Cunningham for the WBC International belt. Thatโs the thing Iโm looking forward to the most. Iโve been boxing for a long time, Iโve worked very, very hard, had to overcome quite a bit of adversity and Iโve won medals and honours and accolades in my life but Iโve never won a belt. Iโve never ever won a belt. Iโll even box for a belt from Topman, I donโt care. So to box for a real live belt, a green belt, Iโm over the moon about that.
The plan is in December to box in Norwich. My first fight in East Anglia, Norwich for almost 10 years, give my family and friends a long awaited homecoming.
The opponent is yet to be confirmed because Iโve got to win this fight first. But weโre looking at Elliot Matthews in an eliminator for the British title. But thatโs not going to happen if I donโt beat Cunningham. Thatโs what Iโm fully focused on doing.
This Cunningham geezer, I think itโs going to be a bit of a seek and destroy mission because heโs a backfoot fighter, heโs quite negative. Iโll have to go looking for him and draw him into a fight. It will catch fire but it might take a few rounds to get my way in there. Whereas Matthews, heโs going to come and have a right go I think. So I think itโll be a really good fight for the fans, a really good fight for Norwich and the crowd who comes out to watch it.
Are you looking at Tommy Langford for the British title?
The fight was offered to me [Langford will fight Sam Sheedy for the vacant title]. I took the fight and didnโt hear back from them.
They offered the fight, offered me quite a derisory sum to take it. I think they thought I was going to say no but I took it because I wanted to become British champion.
But we didnโt hear back from them. The Langford camp went quiet and the next thing we know heโs announced heโs fighting Sam Sheedy, which is a bit of a cop out in my opinion. I would have liked to have fought for a British title in October but if takes me an extra four or five months before I win it then itโs four or five months I can get some experience in fighting guys like Cunningham.