Bermondsey’s Ted Cheeseman targets Anthony Fowler fight – and is fully confident of becoming British champion this weekend

richard@slpmedia.co.uk

Ted Cheeseman is confident he will break down Asinia Byfield to win the British title tomorrow night – and wants Anthony Fowler next.

The exciting Bermondsey puncher, 23, can add to his belt collection if he chalks up a 15th straight victory at the Copper Box Arena.

Former Fisher amateur Cheeseman already holds the WBA international light-middleweight title and now gets the chance to claim the vacant domestic strap.

Reading’s Byfield has a record of 14-1, his sole defeat coming when he challenged for the Southern Area title which is now in his possession.

But Cheeseman – who has beaten other prospects like Paul Upton, Tony Dixon, Matthew Ryan and Lloyd Ellett – is anything but impressed by his opponent.

“He hasn’t earned his shot,” he told the South London Press. “If you look through his record he hasn’t beaten anyone who justifies him a British title shot. He has already lost at Southern Area level. That’s why I think on Saturday we will see that I’m levels above him.”

Byfield says the tragic loss of his eight-month old baby Trayvon Byfield-Griffith in 2016 has inspired him to fight on.

“I am the light and strength my son made me, which means I cannot and will not fail,” he said. “I am proof that even in your most broken form you can still stand tall. Ted has never faced a foe like me and he will never face anyone like me again – October 27 is going to be an 18-plus bloody and gory affair, he won’t hear the final bell.”

But Cheeseman responded: “I’m sorry his son died but it doesn’t make you any better as a fighter. He didn’t turn up to the first press conference, he doesn’t want to see me face to face because he is going to crumble.

“Byfield is awkward – a spoiler. He isn’t a great counterpuncher or forward fighter. I feel like he might have a few rounds where he can make it scrappy but this is a 12-round fight and you can’t do that every round. There is going to come a point when I will get on top of him and open up.”

At one stage it looked as if Cheeseman had bypassed the British title when he won a wide unanimous verdict over tough and respected American Carson Jones in February to win his WBA belt.

“I was going to fight James Metcalf but it got sanctioned as an eliminator and wasn’t worth it,” said the South Londoner. “I went a different route and boxed Jones.

“But now I have been made mandatory for the British and didn’t have to muck around with eliminators. I’m not looking past people but there are fighters I want – if that doesn’t happen then hopefully I’ll push on at European level.”

And the person who Cheeseman wants to get in the ring with next is Liverpool’s Anthony Fowler. The 27-year-old Scouser – nicknamed The Machine – won gold at the Commonwealth Games in 2014 and finished with an amateur record of 190 wins and just 19 losses.“There has been a lot of talk domestically about me versus Fowler and I want to push for that fight,” said Cheeseman. “But I’m not going to wait around forever if it means stopping me pushing on to the next level. It either gets made or I make another defence of the British title against someone else.

“I feel I’m past Fowler but he is a big name through going in the Olympics – it would be good for me, publicity wise.

“He’s a really good fighter but Vasiliy Lomachencko had a top amateur career and won a world title in his second professional bout. Fowler’s already had eight fights and not boxed anyone – how long do you want before you step up? He has already done the rounds boxing all over the world for years. If he is not good enough now then he never will be.”

Cheeseman can make it a second weekend in a row where a Millwall fan wins a British title – Johnny Garton putting in an immense display of guts to halt Gary Corcoran in the 11th round to lift the welterweight belt last Saturday.

“John boxed really well,” said Cheeseman. “I was confident before the fight, I just thought he had to keep his head – that if he boxed well he would get the win.

“How good will it be for two Millwall fans who lived only a stone’s throw away from each other winning British titles? He grew up in Peckham and I’m from Bermondsey – five minutes down the road. It will be really good for the area.”

Brixton’s Isaac Chamberlain is also on the same show as he aims to bounce back from losing to Lawrence Okolie for the vacant WBA continental cruiseweight title in February. The 24-year-old has not fought since and his comeback pits him  against Luke Watkins, who was knocked out by Okolie when he lost his Commonwealth title in June.

Chamberlain has split from his trainer and uncle Ted Bami. He is now working with Jorge Rubio and Angel Fernandez“Everyone goes through failures in life but mine just happened to be in front of thousands of people and millions watching on TV,” he said. “I’m in a whole lot better place with Jorge and Angel. I’m even more hungry than before.

“It was a difficult night [losing to Okolie]. My training is more strategic now.

“I wanted to make an impact straight away [by fighting Watkins] and I’m not playing any more. We pushed to fight these better guys – he is ranked higher than me.

“I want to be the best I can be and give the fans the best fights possible.”