Craig Richards targets impressive win over Alan Higgins on next month's NXTGEN bill on Sky Sports
Thursday 23 February 2017 14:11, UK
Craig Richards wants to enhance his reputation as one of Britain's rising super-middleweights when he appears on next month's NXTGEN bill.
The 26-year-old will battle Southern Area champion Alan Higgins as part of a packed card at York Hall in Bethnal Green on March 17, which features other exciting talents such as Reece Bellotti and Isaac Chamberlain, live on Sky Sports.
Richards, nicknamed 'The Spider', wants to continue his steady rise up the domestic rankings by taking the Southern Area title from Higgins.
"I've had some good journeyman tests, good tough fighters like Adam Jones," Richards told Sky Sports.
"I actually wanted this fight for my last fight in November, but I felt they were messing me about a little bit.
"We asked him to fight at the November 26 show, they kind of swerved it, and then we've been on to them again.
"I think they wanted to have a voluntary, but I was already mandatory for the title. I stepped aside for November, they couldn't make me step aside again - they had to fight me."
The south Londoner has been made aware of brash pre-fight comments from the fellow unbeaten contender, but is refusing to get drawn into a war of words with Higgins.
"I don't know if he genuinely wanted it at first and now people got into his head and he's feeling confident for the fight now," said Richards.
"People are telling me that he's saying little bits and pieces and stuff like that. I haven't got time for that, we're just going to get down to business on March 17.
"I'm looking forward to displaying a good performance and a good victory over this guy, then move on. I want to win the English title and start looking up to British level."
You can hear more from Craig Richards on this week's Toe 2 Toe podcast.
