Friday 10 March 2017 16:36, UK
Scott Cardle hopes to realise his dreams by winning the Lord Lonsdale belt outright when he faces Robbie Barrett at the SSE Hydro in Glasgow on April 15, live on Sky Sports.
Cardle (21-0-1) stopped Sean Dodd to win the title in November 2015, but was held to a draw in their rematch last April.
The 27-year-old dispatched mandatory challenger Kevin Hooper in six rounds in Glasgow in October and can now secure the coveted strap for keeps with a victory over Barrett.
"I'm over the moon to be getting the chance to win the belt outright," said Cardle. "I've defended it many times now but with the draw I need one more to get my hands on it - and that's always been the aim, it's something special and what I've always dreamed of.
"The last time I boxed in Glasgow I thought that was the one for me to win it outright, but it's no stress to fight for it again as I'm proud to be British champion and I love defending it, and to do it in Glasgow is special for me and my family.
I've defended it many times now but with the draw I need one more to get my hands on it - and that's always been the aim.
"I'd sparred a few times with Kevin but that's all I had to go on to prepare for the fight, and he got the better of me in those spars to be honest so I was a bit nervous. I knew I had to be at my best and luckily enough I was, I felt great and I'm hoping to produce the same clinical performance as that.
Barrett won the English crown in Birmingham against Marcus French in October and then defeated Hooper in his first defence in March.
"I haven't seen much of Robbie, but Kevin has told me a bit about him and I leave that to Joe to study," Cardle said.
"He's a southpaw and a good boxer coming off two strong wins, so we'll look back to my performances against southpaws like Maxi Hughes and Craig Evans and make sure I'm on that kind of form.
"I don't want to stand still, there's a place on my mantelpiece for the Lonsdale belt and once I've got that for keeps I want to move on through the stages. The lightweight scene in Britain is a world scene anyway; Terry Flanagan is a world champion and Luke Campbell is at world level, so if I do fight those guys I am moving forward.
"I really want the European title next, I'd love to fight Edis Tatli and I'd be more than happy to go to Finland to take it from him - I've boxed all over the world as an amateur so that wouldn't faze me in the slightest."
