Solomon Dacres believes everything in his favour for his English heavyweight title clash with Rob Ismay.
The 29-year-old former GB Boxing star is the red-hot favourite in the battle of the unbeaten big fellas at the Utilita Arena.
Dacres has won all five of his pro contests – six fewer than long-term pro Ismay who began his career at light-heavy back in 2011 and is hoping for a “last crack of the whip” at heavyweight.
The 35-year-old, from Whickham, is bang up for it and has vowed to knock out the Matchroom prospect.
It all made for a lively media conference on Thursday and, hopefully, that energy will be translated into action inside the ring on Saturday night.
Dacres has been less than impressed with the popular home Toon fighter and says the only possible way he could lose is if Ismay can find a KO shot.
“His best performance is sitting in that chair with a mic,” said the 29-year-old from Warley in the West Midlands.
“His only hope is if he can clip me early.
“He’s going to be f*cked after about three rounds.”
Dacres says he has not bought any of the talk from the Wallsend Boxing Academy fighter and says he will take the title whether the bout is fought at long-range or up close.
“He was giving it the usual ‘you’re going to get knocked out, you’re going to get put to sleep, blah blah blah’. He’s giving it the large one now but it’s all just bravado,” said Dacres, who has sparred in his time with Tyson Fury, Joe Joyce and Joseph Parker.
“You can expect a great performance from me on Saturday.
“I’m not going to run. I’ve done my running in the training camp.
“If I jab and move he won’t hit me.
“If I stand in the middle of the ring I’ll beat the sh*t out of him. That’s his only chance to touch me.”
Ismay’s fans made their presence felt at the media conference and hundreds are expected to be back him inside the arena.
However, Dacres insists their noise will only serve to inspire him to beat the crowd favourite.
“There’s nothing better than his fans coming to support him,” he said.
“They’ll rile him up and everything and it’s just going to give me more incentive to put the performance on that I’m going to put on.”
It’s all part of the nine-fight NXTGEN show by Matchroom which is headlined by Cyrus Pattinson v Chris Jenkins for the WBA International welterweight title.
There is no shortage of North-East talent with Calum French and Jordan Ellison meeting in a lightweight derby, while ex-GB star Mark Dickinson and Olympic silver medallist Pat McCormack in action. There is also a second pro bout for Seaburn’s Adam Reichard, who made a winning pro debut on the Wasserman show in Newcastle back in December.
Words: Roy Kelly Picture: Mark Robinson/ Matchroom
