Cheeseman vs Garcia: Ted Cheeseman warns Sergio Garcia to expect punishing Euro title fight
Thursday 31 January 2019 17:11, UK
Ted Cheeseman has warned Sergio Garcia to expect a "spiteful" assault as he will not be satisfied with a points victory in their European title fight.
The 23-year-old super-welterweight takes another step-up in class against the European champion Garcia at The O2 on Saturday night, live on Sky Sports, and Cheeseman is determined to maintain his destructive rise through the rankings.
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His Spanish opponent holds an unblemished 28-fight record, but the Londoner has vowed to test the champion's punch resistance in every round.
"If Garcia comes to fight, it's going to be a good fight, because we're both going to meet in the middle and clash," said Cheeseman.
"If he ain't as good a fighter, I'm going to be spiteful and try and hurt him, and get him out of there, so it's always going to be exciting for the fans to watch.
"I'm not going to know that I can beat him, and play about, and try and go to points, even if I'm winning the whole fight in the 11th round, and I'm cruising.
"In the 12th round I'm going out there to try and take his head off. That's what sort of fighter I am. I want to put a good performance on, I want everyone talking about me."
Cheeseman revealed how trainer Tony Sims has urged him to study the world's elite fighters such as Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez and Gennady 'GGG' Golovkin as he develops his skills in sparring.
With the British belt already in his grasp, the Bermondsey fighter believes he is ready to test himself outside the domestic scene.
"I've been watching a lot of the top fighters, and I've been practising a lot of stuff in sparring, things are coming off," said Cheeseman.
"I'm looking really sharp, feeling a lot better fighter, and a lot mature fighter with my defence and my attack. Knowing when to have breathers, knowing when to push on.
"I'm really confident on Saturday night I'll put a big performance in, probably my career-best performance."
But Garcia has suggested that Cheeseman will have the burden of expectation on his young shoulders and intends to enhance his own reputation.
"To be honest, I feel like I'm fighting away from home, so the pressure has to be on the home fighter," said Garcia. "I've just come here to show what I've got and put in a good performance.
"If he wins, he'll have fought better than me, if I win, I'll have been better. There's no excuses now. I'm 100 per cent, I feel great, I feel good at my weight and I'm looking forward to putting on a display on Saturday."
Watch The O2 cracker with Ted Cheeseman, Lawrence Okolie, Felix Cash, Jake Ball and Craig Richards all in action, live on Sky Sports Arena, Saturday, from 7.30pm.
