Anthony Ogogo: ‘It’s going to be seek and destroy against Craig Cunningham’

Anthony Ogogo

What do you think of your opponent, Craig Cunningham?

Itโ€™s my biggest fight in the pro ranks against my best opponent. Craig Cunningham, heโ€™s a real good fighter. His recordโ€™s 16-1 but really heโ€™s unbeaten, his one fight he lost to Tom Doran in Prizefighter. Itโ€™s a three round fight so you canโ€™t 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.

Heโ€™s awkward, heโ€™s cagey so Iโ€™m going to have to bring my A-game and bring my best to beat him and thatโ€™s what Iโ€™m 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 Iโ€™ve felt since the Commonwealth Games in 2010.

All the things Iโ€™ve been through the last five, six years, the one thing Iโ€™ve got to contend with is a blister on my foot.

I think this is going to be the first time genuinely Iโ€™m going to go to the ring, feeling 100% and people can now start to rate me, if Iโ€™m good or not. Iโ€™ve been putting in substandard performances, to my own opinion, because Iโ€™ve been so injured in training.

Iโ€™ve 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 youโ€™ll fight again this year?

The plan, obviously, itโ€™s very much one step at a time, I donโ€™t want to look too far ahead but the plan is fight Cunningham for the WBC International belt. Thatโ€™s the thing Iโ€™m looking forward to the most. Iโ€™ve been boxing for a long time, Iโ€™ve worked very, very hard, had to overcome quite a bit of adversity and Iโ€™ve won medals and honours and accolades in my life but Iโ€™ve never won a belt. Iโ€™ve never ever won a belt. Iโ€™ll even box for a belt from Topman, I donโ€™t care. So to box for a real live belt, a green belt, Iโ€™m 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 Iโ€™ve got to win this fight first. But weโ€™re looking at Elliot Matthews in an eliminator for the British title. But thatโ€™s not going to happen if I donโ€™t beat Cunningham. Thatโ€™s what Iโ€™m fully focused on doing.

This Cunningham geezer, I think itโ€™s going to be a bit of a seek and destroy mission because heโ€™s a backfoot fighter, heโ€™s quite negative. Iโ€™ll 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, heโ€™s going to come and have a right go I think. So I think itโ€™ll 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 didnโ€™t 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 didnโ€™t hear back from them. The Langford camp went quiet and the next thing we know heโ€™s announced heโ€™s 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 itโ€™s four or five months I can get some experience in fighting guys like Cunningham.

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