James Tennyson to ambush Ryan Walsh in Copper Box

Belfast featherweight Tennyson has a chance that night to get his hands on an elusive British title as he takes on champion Ryan Walsh at the London venue.

Everything so far in Tennyson’s career has been geared towards this challenge,

All the hours of sweat, blood and tears in training and sparring since he started boxing as a youngster has got him to this point of fighting for a Lonsdale belt.

Walsh - the champion - is no pushover and Tennyson understands the importance of delivering on April 30.

“It would mean the world to me to lift the British title. The British title is every boxers dream and ever since I turned professional I have wanted to win it and get my hands on a Lonsdale belt.

“This is a massive fight for me and when I win the belt, it will open doors for me to bigger and better things.

“This is a massive fight for me and the biggest opportunity that I have had so far as a professional.

“Walsh is a tough guy to fight but I am totally conficent I will win the fight and get my hands on the British title,” added Tennyson.

The bookmakers have made Tennyson the favourite for the fight - even though he is not the champion - but the Belfast boy has a huge amount of respect for Walsh.

“He is a good boxer, has a compact style and he picks his shots well.

“But I believe I am just better than him and I am going to take the title off him.

“I am expecting a tough fight so I have been putting in the work in the run-up to this fight.

“I know I have to be in the best shapem of my life and I also have to put on the best performance of my life. But I am confident I can do that,” said Tennyson.

And Tennyson says preparation for the clash has been going well.

“It’s flying in, it really is flying in. I remember saying to my friends that ‘it is ten weeks to the fight’ and now we are nearly there. The time is going very fast and I can’t wait.

“We have also done loads of sparring and most of my camp has been made up of sparring.

“I have sparred the likes of Carl Frampton, Josh Warrington, Maxi Hughes, Ronnie Clark, James fryers and Paul Hyland jnr. I have loads of rounds under my belt.

“The preparation has been going very well and can’t wait to get started.

“We are just over two weeks to go and hopefully that will fly in,” he added.