Tommy Martin says he will beat John Wayne Hibbert despite being 10 years younger
Thursday 16 April 2020 13:28, UK
Unbeaten Tommy Martin says he will show age is nothing but a number when he takes on John Wayne Hibbert.
The 21-year-old will take on the experienced Hibbert - who puts his Commonwealth super-lightweight title on the line - at the Copper Box, on January 30, live on Sky Sports.
Martin (13-0-KO5) is friends with the champion and 10 years his junior, but having seen off both Ricky Boylan and Michael Devine to earn his shot, is confident his youth will come to the fore.
Hibbert (16-3-KO10), who avenged a defeat to Dave Ryan at the O2 last September, has suggested it is too soon for the youngster to take his Commonwealth title away.
"John has said that it's too early for me and it's a step-up in class, but he knows that it's a hard fight for him," said Martin.
"He has been in Spain working hard so he's not taking me lightly and rightly so, because this is going to be a 12-round war full of fireworks.
"We know each other inside out, we know what the other one is going to do, and he won't bring anything to the table that I haven't seen in sparring. It cannot fail to be a good fight.
"We've always had competitive sparring that end up being 10 and 12 round wars, I expect him to be at his best and I believe whoever turns up 100 per cent will win the fight.
"I've been proving people wrong fight after fight, let people keep digging themselves into a hole by underestimating me, it takes the pressure off my shoulders."
The super-lightweight showdown is part of a packed London card at the Olympic Park, which is headlined by George Groves, who returns to the ring for the first time since losing his third world-title shot.
Groves (21-3-KO16) takes on Italian Andrea Di Luisa (18-3-KO14) under the guidance of new trainer Shane McGuigan, with the the vacant WBC International title up for grabs.
Islington middleweight John Ryder is in a make-or-break clash with 'Brit Basher' Sergey Khomitsky, while his Tony Sims' gym-mate Martin J Ward defends his WBC International super-featherweight strap against Italian Mario Pisanti.
