Championship-chasing Tommy Ward says pressure to deliver world-class performances will bring out the best in him in Newcastle.
The 25-year-old headlines MTK’s stacked show on Saturday against former Nicaraguan champ Yesner Talavera.
With 27 wins under his belt and boasting a WBO ranking of four, a world title challenge, surely, is not that far away.
However, Ward told punch-lines there is no way he can afford to take anything for granted and he must deal with Talavera over 10 rounds at the Newcastle Eagles Community Arena.
“There is no way I’d disrespect Talavera, or any opponent,” said the Co Durham talent. “Every boxer as a chance when they go into the ring.
“People might see the match and say ‘you’re the winner’ but I have got to go and get the win.
“As a boxer, if you stand there, make mistakes and get hit you can get beaten.
“I want a world title and feel I’m more than ready to become a world champion.
“I’ve already been British champion, the IBF’s European champ and I’ve won a WBO world eliminator in America, so I feel I’ve proved myself.
“But I have to keep proving myself and that means performing on Saturday night.
“What if I lost or boxed badly on Saturday? People would start saying ‘oh well, that wasn’t very good’ or ‘he’s not as good as they say’.
“It’s up to me to show I am leaps and bounds above the rest and deserve to be going into world title fights.”
Ward is undoubtedly world class, assembling a perfect 27-fight record in Hartlepool under coach Neil Fannan and manager, Dave Garside.
The NE Security-sponsored super-bantam’s appearance on Tyneside will NOT be a walkover.
Talavera’s record is a fair one, with 15 wins and a draw from 25 bouts, with one of his defeats being a notable display against Josh Warrington’s IBF featherweight world title challenger, Sofiane Takoucht, who won after eight competitive rounds.
Another of Britain’s gifted light men, Andrew Selby, is in action along with a long list of North-East boxers: Chad Ellis, Alex Farrell, Adam Gair, Tom Hill, Joe Laws, Basi Razaq, Darren Reay, Steve Robinson, Simon Vallily and Terence Wilkinson.
Words: Roy Kelly Picture: Tom Collins/ Hartlepool Life
