James Tennyson has vowed to "take the world title back to Belfast" when he meets IBF World Super-Featherweight champion Tevin Farmer in Boston on 20 October.
American Farmer puts the belt on the line for the first time against the Northern Irishman as part of a stacked undercard for the clash of middleweights Billy Joe Saunders and Demetrius Andrade.
Katie Taylor will also puts her WBA and IBF World Lightweight straps on the line against Cindy Serrano and Irish heavyweight Niall Kennedy is also in action.
"I feel that I'm ready for my shot and that I'll take the world title back to Belfast," said Tennyson, who has just two defeats in 24 professional bouts.
Time to stamp my mark in world boxing! IBF world title in boston. 20th October will be the time i go get what i’ve worked hard for all these years! #IBF #WorldTitle #Boston #AndTheNew!!💚👊🏼 pic.twitter.com/UmjkapVRo6
— James Tennyson (@JamesT931) August 24, 2018
Eighteen of those have been won by knockout and since losing to Ryan Walsh in April 2016, only one of his six subsequent opponents have lasted the distance.
"A lot of fighters, when they take a loss in their career they think it's at an end when they've gone undefeated and been at the top but my career shows that a loss isn't the end," he said.
"I've progressed, I've moved on and I'm ranked number one with the WBA, European and Commonwealth champion.
"You just have to keep pushing forward, keep digging deep. Anybody can come from a loss and come back and push right back up to the top of the ladder."
Farmer landed the title with a landslide points win in Billy Dib’s Australian backyard in August, gaining redemption in the process after missing out on the crown in a controversial split decision loss against Kenichi Ogawa in Las Vegas in December. Ogawa subsequently failed a drug test and was stripped of the title.
The Philadelphian (26-4-1) is already making plans to meet the other champions in the 126lbs division – with WBA king Gervonta Davis top of his wish-list – but knows he must be on top of his game to keep his belt and move onto the unification bouts he desires.
"I've worked really hard to get to this point and now we're going to get these big fights - but I have to take care of business with James Tennyson first," said Farmer. "James is a proud, tenacious and worthy challenger for my belt.
"I know James is going to be hungry to take my title, but there's no way I'm going to let it go - I want to prove that I am the king in this division. I don't need to fight the other champions - I want to fight them, no talk, I want to handle my business and I want these guys to meet me, I want Gervonta."
