Ready to “punch his head in”.
The vow from Tom Hill as he counts down towards the biggest night of his boxing life – a challenge for Josh Wagner’s IBF International welterweight title in Toronto.
‘One Bomb’ will face the undefeated Canadian, known as ‘The Boss’ at the Toronto Casino Resort on Saturday, October 19.
Hill is fresh from the 12th and best win of his career, a seventh-round stoppage of Ewan Mackenzie for the Northern Area welterweight belt at Houghton at the back end of June.
That has set the Redcar boxer up for something special, though he’s up against a man with a perfect 18-0 record, with half of his wins coming early. The 31-year-old, from Orangeville, Ontario is also on the cusp of the world elite, ranked at 12 by the International Boxing Federation.
It would appear the 29-year-old Teessider has been handpicked by the home camp as the final hurdle before the big one, someone who might give the champion a few lively rounds but not cause too much damage.
“I assume so,” Hill told punch-lines.
“They have probably looked at my record and seen that I’ve lost a few, but that I’ll give him a decent fight.
“They may think that I necessarily might not come to win, but they are going to be very, very shocked when I punch his head in.
“To be boxing on his home patch and headlining then they must see him as the next big hope for Canada. But I’m going there to spoil their party.”
On the face of it, it could take a big effort to spoil it.
Wagner has reeled off 18 straight victories, nine inside the distance, during a career spanning two very distinct chapters. He made his professional debut way back in 2013, winning his first six bouts before a five-year hiatus.
Since returning to the ring in 2020, Josh has made swift progress, adding the following belts, IBA Inter-continental belt in 2022 and IBO Americas in 2023, before outpointing Geronimo Manuel Vazquez back in April to take possession of the IBF International crown.
While the odds seem very much in Wagner’s favour Hill insists there was no hesitation from him and coach Niki Wiley when the offer was made.
“I got a call and all I got told the money on offer and that it was in Canada,” explained Tom.
“I said ‘I need to know more than that’ and then got told the opponent so I rang Niki and we jumped at the chance.
“His record is good, but it’s probably not as good as the figures outwardly suggest.
“Wagner is good, but not fantastic. He’s not unbeatable.”
Hill is still buzzing after his Tyne-Tees derby triumph over Mackenzie, the hard-as-they-come Forest Hall southpaw.
“I feel everything is coming together now for me,” said the ex-Redcar ABC boxer. “It was probably my most mature performance. It’s probably the best I’ve felt for a fight, I felt strong.
“In most of my recent fights I always seem to have been the underdog, but this fight seemed to be a bit more in my favour.
“I expected it to be a bit tougher. I know how game, tough and durable Ewan is and I expected it to be harder to be honest, and I don’t want that to come across in a nasty way.
“I expected more bumps and bruises, but I thought I totally controlled the fight.”
Now it’s Northern Area to North America and the countdown is on.
Words: Roy Kelly
