Bradley Saunders faces Stephane Benito with his eye firmly on Dave Ryan

Bradley Saunders will warm up for next month's super lightweight title clash with Dave Ryan this weekend against Stephane Benito in Hull.

The 29-year-old challenges Ryan for the Commonwealth crown on April 11, but will first bid to extend his winning run to 12 straight fights when he faces Frenchman Benito on Saturday, live on Sky Sports.

I stayed in the gym over Christmas so I am 100 per cent ready for the fight with Dave, but Saturday gives me the chance to work on a few things.

Saunders knows he has to be at his best to take the title from Ryan, the Derby man that upset Tyrone Nurse to land the belt in Leeds last October.

“I can’t wait for the fight with Ryan,” said Saunders. “We’ve sold 60-odd grand’s worth of tickets already – it’s going to be massive, but Saturday is really important to dust off any ring rust – I need it for the fight against Dave.”

Ryan, 31, who has 16 wins and eight defeats to his name since turning professional in 2007, ground out a majority decision over Nurse to claim the vacant title.

“It’s a 50-50 fight in my book," added Saunders. "He’s a lot more pro experience than me and he’s beaten better fighters than I’ve boxed.

“Dave put Nurse down twice and he’s beaten Paul McCloskey, who challenged for Amir Khan’s world title. I wanted to beat McCloskey as well but sadly he pulled out injured.

“It's the biggest step up of my career. The man has beaten better people than I've boxed, so it’s a massive, massive fight but I'm on track.

"It would mean the world to me, and the fans know it – I did 2,000 tickets the first day they went on sale. I wouldn't like to say how many other thousands have gone and it's nice to have the north east behind me.”

Live Fight Night

The task in front of him this weekend is Frenchman Benito and Saunders has a new man in the corner in Salford trainer Oliver Harrison – and has tipped his new boss to take him to the top.

“Oliver is second to none,” said Saunders. “He's worked with the likes of Amir Khan and Martin Murray and he's a proven world-class coach. I am at a level now where the little tweaks and the little changes you make are all the difference at the top, top level. Working with Oliver is the step that I need to reach my peak.

“I stayed in the gym over Christmas so I am 100 per cent ready for the fight with Dave, but Saturday gives me the chance to work on a few things.

“This time next year I expect to be knocking on the door of a world title, that's realistic. I've been in with some good names and I have done my job with ease. I don’t know much about Benito to be honest, I’ll just leave that to Oliver and I’ll do whatever he feels I should.

“I’m a lot better than I was in the last fight. I’m fitter and I’m used to Oliver now, so this is like the first step of many, hopefully. People will get a shock when they watch me, they will see an even better Bradley Saunders.”

British title challenger Rocky Fielding Saunders also appears on the Hull card which features local favourite Tommy Coyle taking on Martin Gethin, while Olympic gold medal hero Luke Campbell MBE returns to the line-up after initially pulling out due to the ill health of his father.

Rising Stourbridge star Sam Eggington challenges Shayne Singleton for the WBC international silver welterweight title, Birmingham’s young Featherweight blaster Gamal Yafai is in action alongside a quintet of local talents Tom Knight, who faces Erick Ochieng over eight-rounds at welterweight, Nathon Smith, Charlie Payton, Connor Seymour and Ryan Fuller.

Watch Fight Night Live from the Hull Ice Arena on Sky Sports 1 from 19:30