Friday 24 July 2015 17:27, UK
Martin Ward hopes former world title challenger Daniel Diaz will bring out the best in him when the pair clash on August 1 in Hull, live on Sky Sports.
Ward faces a big step up in class when he defends his WBC international super-featherweight title against the experienced Nicaraguan after landing the title by beating Maxi Hughes in April.
“These fights are exactly what I need and exactly what I wanted at this stage of my career,” said Ward.
“A former world title challenger is going to bring the best out in me and I’m in for a tough night in Hull, but I’m relishing the opportunity to test myself at this level.
“I’m really up for this fight next Saturday – I’m confident I’ll get the win and look great doing it.”
Ward is unbeaten in 13 fights and the 24-year-old from Leeds is confident he has all the tools required to one day become a truly world-class fighter.
“Once I get this fight out of the way, I feel I’ve got much more to learn and develop before I’m the finished article,” he said.
“I’m in the gym training alongside a two-time world champion in Ricky Burns and a world-title challenger in Kevin Mitchell – I’m learning all the time from these guys.
“I’ve moved down from lightweight and to be truthful I wasn’t doing a great deal of dieting at the weight – I just lacked that little bit of man strength.
“I’ve been at super-featherweight for about a year now and my body has adapted to it well, I’m a big strong super-featherweight and I’m confident I could beat anyone in this division.”
Ward’s clash with Diaz is part of a massive night of action in Hull headlined by the all-Hull WBC world lightweight title eliminator between Luke Campbell and Tommy Coyle.
Former world title challenger Brian Rose faces a rematch with American danger man Carson Jones, while Ricky Burns and unbeaten Brixton heavyweight Dillian Whyte are also in action.
Catch all the action from Hull, live on Sky Sports 1 from 8pm on August 1.
