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Gary Sykes believes he’ll be putting Dewsbury on the map for all the right reasons next week.
Sykes (11-0) faces Manchester rival Anthony Crolla (13-1) in an eliminator for the British super-featherweight title at Fenton Manor Sports Complex, Stoke-on-Trent on May 29.
The West Yorkshire town hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons last year following the disappearance of school girl Shannon Matthews.
But Sykes believes he can beat Crolla to earn a shot at domestic 9st 4lb champion Kevin Mitchell.
Sykes, 25, said: “It would be awesome if I could win the British title and would be good publicity for Dewsbury after all the bad press the town has had.
“I have enjoyed a quiet route in my professional career, gradually working my way towards a British and Commonwealth title shot.
“I wouldn’t like to be big and brash only for things to fall apart but when I started, I wanted to aim for the British title and I wouldn’t have turned pro if I didn’t think I could achieve it.”
Sykes thought his big ten rounder had fallen through earlier this month when promoter Frank Warren pulled the contest, but his promoter Frank Maloney stepped in.
Crolla, 22, has been beaten just once ironically to another Dewsbury boxer Youssef Al Hamidi a year ago.
Top of the talent crammed card is local hero Chris Edwards (12-13-3) who defends his British and Commonwealth flyweight title against Derby’s Usman Ahmed (5-1-1)
Also on the top class bill, Ireland’s Olympic bronze medallist Darren Sutherland (2-0) bids to stop Georgian Tchilaia (9-8) who took Beijing golden boy DeGale the distance on his professional debut in February.
Tickets (£35 and £75) for the show which also features other top fighters from Stoke including Scott Miller and Alex Ibbs are on sale and available from www.frankmaloney.com and 0871 226 1508.
