Ryan Burnett has the opportunity to take his first step towards greatness on Saturday night, according to trainer Adam Booth.
Undefeated Belfast bantamweight Burnett challenges for the IBF world title in his first hometown headline bout on Saturday night, going up against Bristol-based champion Lee Haskins at the SSE Odyssey Arena on Sky Sports.
The pair went head to head this afternoon in the northern city at the final pre-fight press conference ahead of their showdown, with Burnett priced as a money-on favourite with the bookies despite his relative lack of experience at championship level.
The 25-year-old – a former Olympic and World Youth medallist as an amateur – has built his 16-0 paid career in England, having only fought four times as pro in Ireland, claiming British, WBO European and WBC international titles en route to his world-title challenge.
In contrast, Haskins, a notoriously tricky southpaw, is a 37-fight veteran, carrying a 34-3 record as he heads into his second full title defence, while he has only suffered one defeat in nearly 10 years.
However, Booth, who has previously guided the likes of David Haye and Andy Lee to world titles, believes Burnett will prove his class this weekend.
"This sport, like all sport, is about competition and challenges and a good fighter will rise to those challenges," said the Surrey-based trainer.
"Great fighters and the ones that go on to be exceptional are the ones who rise to the challenges and adapt to anything that’s put in front of them. I believe that Ryan has that unique ability.
"Lee Haskins is a fighter who can adapt at title level and that’s why he has the record he has and why he has the belt" continued Booth.
"I know Ryan has the ability to adapt at this level and he has the perfect platform and opportunity to do it on Saturday night," added the trainer, who insisted that his fighter will not freeze in front of a home crowd which is anticipated to be somewhere between 3-4,000.
"If you want it and you belong there, you deal with it. That’s it – you deal with it. Don’t think about it, just get up there and do it," said Booth.
Promoter Eddie Hearn stuck to that theme as he backed Burnett to become a household name in Irish sport.
Since turning pro under Ricky Hatton in 2013 - prior to his move to Booth’s gym - Burnett has not enjoyed as much regular media attention or big-fight exposure as some of his old Irish amateur contemporaries.
However, Hearn has claimed that a world-title win can act as a launchpad to regular home fight nights for the 24-year-old and the promoter appeared to have a sly dig at two-weight world champion Carl Frampton – a fighter he previously worked with before an acrimonious split – at today’s press conference when talking up his latest Irish protégé.
Frampton has not fought in his native Belfast since a February 2015 win over American Chris Avalos, while Frampton’s team have yet to confirm an opponent for his July 29 homecoming bout.
"It’s over two years since world championship boxing has been in Belfast and I think it’s going to sometime until you’ll get world championship boxing back again in this city unless this man [Burnett] wins," said Hearn.
The fighters maintained a courteous build-up to the bout, although Burnett insisted that he has visualised victory throughout his pre-fight camp.
"Every single night when I’m lying in bed, I’m thinking about winning the belt and thinking about how I’m going to do it and how it’s going to be. I’ve seen it clearly over and over," said Burnett, a graduate of Belfast’s Holy Family Gym.
"When I have a 50-50 fight in front of me I put a lot extra into training and I want it more"
"To beat Lee Haskins I’m going to have to be at my very best… He’s a great champion, he’s been beaten once in nine years and I think that speaks volumes, but with the work we’ve been doing in the gym I’m very convinced that I’ve got the tools to do the job on Saturday night," added Burnett.
The champion – who is "as fit as a butcher’s dog", according to promoter Chris Sanigar – expects a real challenge.
"I’ve had a great camp and worked hard to get where I am, I don’t want to lose this belt," said the Bristol native.
"I’ve got a great opponent in front of me as well and I feel it’s a 50-50 fight… When I have a 50-50 fight in front of me I put a lot extra into training and I want it more."
