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© Lawrence Lustig
Micky Steeds expects to become Prizefighter Cruiserweights Champion on Tuesday, May 19 and will then demand a rematch with British title holder Rob Norton.
Londoner Steeds, 25, is one of eight fighters in Barry Hearn’s next Prizefighter event where the winner scoops £25,000.
The champion will also propel themselves up the rankings and Steeds hopes victory could land him another shot at Norton, who he lost on points to in October.
“I’ve got the most to gain out of anyone and I’m fresher than the others,” said Steeds, the youngest of the eight contenders. “You’ve definitely not seen the best of me yet.
“Everyone has written me off since I started boxing and people said I would never make cruiserweight but I’ve always proved people wrong.
“What I have to prove now is that I’m good enough to win the British title. If I win Prizefighter I will be calling out Rob Norton again – that’s the fight I want.
“I was fit for the original fight but it got put back a couple of times so I over-trained but in the first four or five rounds I felt great.
“My girlfriend had a baby seven or eight days before and my mum was taken into hospital so that messed about with my brain a bit but if I win Prizefighter hopefully I will get another crack at Norton.
“He never hurt me in the whole fight and people were saying to give him respect because of his punch power but I gave him too much respect.
“When he did hit me he didn’t hurt me. I’ve done hundreds of rounds sparring with British heavyweight champion Danny Williams and he has hit me clean on the chin but that didn’t move me.
“I’ve never had any amateur fights and I’m learning the game the hard way by fighting the best in the country.
“I’m looking forward to Prizefighter more than the British title fight as it’s short, fast and you don’t know what’s going to happen or what you’re going to get paid.
“It’s going to be hard and you’ve only got three rounds so you have to go in a bit kamikaze.”
Four quarter finals, two semi-finals and a final will take place inside a frantic three hours at the Earls Court in London.
Tickets cost £25 (unreserved) and £50 (reserved) and are available by calling 0870 903 9033 (24-hours), online at www.seetickets.com or from Matchroom Sport on 01277 359900.
The whole show will also be broadcast live on Sky Sports 1 from 8pm.
The full list of contenders is: Darren Corbett (Belfast), Terry Dunstan (Vauxhall, London), Dean Francis (Basingstoke / Finchley), John Keeton (Sheffield), Ovill McKenzie (Derby), Bruce Scott (Hackney), Neil Simpson (Coventry) and Micky Steeds (Isle of Dogs, London).
