What do you think of Jason Cunningham as an opponent?
Heโs a good opponent. Heโs a tall southpaw so heโs going to give me a bit to think about. Iโm just thinking Iโm moving into the phase of my career where I need a big performance and I think that will come… The kind of performance where people open their eyes and think this kid is good. Heโs the real deal.
Itโs time for me now to prove that.
How have you been preparing?
Iโve had some quality sparring. I boxed in Leeds against another tall kid [Aron Juarez] even though he wasnโt very good. It was a warm-up against a tall opponent. Iโve been sparring feathweights, tall southpaws. Itโs never an issue because Iโve boxed a lot fighters in my career, especially as an amateur. You know what itโs like in the amateurs, most of them are southpaws.
Itโs a good step-up. Heโs Commonwealth champion at the weight above. Heโs lost a couple of fights but itโs not like heโs been knocked out or rolled over.
He lost to Jason Booth whoโs a very old man in boxing, heโs been around for years and he got beat by Ross Burkinshaw who took the fight on four days’ notice.
Weโll see how heโs doing the weight, because he boxed at bantamweight and he was a big bantamweight, he was a tall bantamweight. Some people say heโs got size advantage over me. I donโt think itโs a size advantage, heโs got height advantage and thatโs about it. He isnโt bigger than me width-wise and he isnโt bigger than me in the power department, I donโt think, either.
I expect him to try to outbox me early on. But I think heโs in for quite a shock. I think heโll be surprised at how good my boxing skills are. I think heโs going to struggle to outbox me as well as outfight me.
Iโve trained like an animal for this fight. Iโve trained like itโs a world title fight. Iโve taken him very seriously. Iโm in the best shape of my pro career to date. Iโm ready to go.
How much would it mean to you to win the British title?
Itโs massive. I wanted to win it a long time ago but itโs been hard to get hold of. Itโs another boost for me. Obviously I want to win world titles and things like but itโs another step up. I won the Commonwealth title last year and now Iโm fighting for the British. Itโs something that Iโve always wanted to win. And something that I will win.
This is the one I need to win and I need to look good doing it.
Will it be satisfyingย to beat [his former GB team-mates] Anthony Joshua and Luke Campbell to the British title?
Yeah of course, it’ll be nice to win it, then I can show them it! Obviously Joshua’s going to do the business on December 12 and win his as well. I’ll just beat him to it. I’d much rather beat him to a world title though.