How’s your training camp been [for Ben Jones at the O2 on Saturday]?
It’s been hard, it’s been intense. Every training camp now, you kind of get half used to the routine, what you’ve got to do. I’m more than ready for Saturday night.
The usual long, mad runs [with trainer Jim McDonnell], long rounds in the gym and working on a bit more technique and stuff like that this time round. Hopefully you’ll see an improved performance from me.
Has James DeGale’s shock defeat [to Caleb Truax] affected the gym?
Not at all. I think it’s spurred us on to train even harder so that the same thing doesn’t happen to us down the line. James is a great fight and he’ll come back better and stronger from it.
Has he been back in the gym?
Yes, he’s been back in the gym, sparring, training alongside me. He’s quite upbeat and he’s ready to get the belt back.
Have you learned things off him?
100 percent. He’s an inspiration to the likes of people like me that want to be a world champion just like he is. I learn loads from him so it’s good.
What do you think about Ben Jones?
He’s a tough fighter. He’s got a few knockouts on his record. Our styles will gel on the night and it’ll be a really interesting fight.
Are you confident of a knockout win?
I always try and get a knockout win, sometimes it doesn’t come. For me only once it hasn’t. He’ll come looking for a knockout, people are saying it’s his last chance at this sort of level. So he’ll come out and give it a good go. It’ll make for a good fight and hopefully I’ll get a knockout for the fans.
I’m looking to win more titles but at the minute I’m not looking past Ben Jones.
(At the weigh-in Jones was a pound over the weight limit. While ineligible to win the Commonwealth featherweight title, the Bellotti fight is still on.)
