Linus Udofia has visualised nothing but having his arms raised as English champion when he faces Tyler Denny at the world-famous York Hall tonight for the vacant middleweight strap.
The undefeated former Hockwell Ring ABC fighter (14-0-0) is finally in the box seat to make his title dreams come true after two frustrating bids to take the Southern Area crown were thwarted by successive injury withdrawals of champion Tey Lynn Jones.
So, Udofia set his sights higher and triumphed in a title eliminator back in March, with the seventh round stoppage of Darren Codona, and now he’s favourite to take his first title.
“It is the biggest day,” Udofia told The Lutonian. “I just want my arms raised at the end of the fight. I can’t wait. I haven’t visualised anything other than that. I feel like I’m going to win it and I just want to get it done now, come back to Luton with my belt and move on to another level.”
And to help hasten that process, the 26-year-old has been sparring two undefeated WBO champions in Danny Dignum, who knocked out Conrad Cummings earlier this month to take the European belt, and Lerrone Richards, the Commonwealth and International super-middleweight champion.
“I was handling what was in front of me,” he said, adding: “In 2020 I want more belts, the British, Commonwealth and European are all in line at some point. It will be a lot easier, once I have the English title.”
While Udofia’s team, led by trainer Terry Stewart and manager Steve Goodwin, has remained the same, maintaining a calming level of continuity, he has revealed he’s done more homework on his opponent than ever before.
With knockouts in half of his fights, Udofia has never previously studied his rivals, preferring to concentrate on his own game plan. But now a title is at stake, he’s changed tack, saying: “From what I’ve studied on YouTube, I want to see it in real life.
“I thought, ‘it can’t hurt’. I found out that he throws a lot of punches, but meaningless ones, and he gets his feet muddled up, so that will play into my hands. I like that.
“It’s not about taking a shot, but I can take one if I need to. He’s a southpaw so he’s easier to hit with my right hand. I’ve been pretty good against southpaws and beaten everyone I’ve faced. I’m confident but I’m not going to take shots for fun.”
However, the tale of the tape suggests that tonight’s opponent, Denny, won’t have the power to trouble Udofia, as the West Midlands man (12-1-2) has claimed every single one of his dozen victories via the judges’ scorecards.
The Luton puncher said: “Even if he’d knocked out every fighter, I’d still be confident about it because there’s more than one way to skin a cat.”
Udofia also has a sense of home advantage, having fought all but two of his bouts in Bethnal Green’s iconic home of boxing. He said: “t’s home from home and I know every walk and step of that York Hall. I’m very relaxed.”
But one venue Udofia still has his heart set on Kenilworth Road, the home of Luton Town Football Club, which last hosted a boxing match in 1988 when Barry McGuigan beat Francisco Tomas de Cruz.
Asked if fighting at his beloved hometown football club’s stadium would be more of a realistic dream, if he becomes a champion, Udofia said: “100 per cent because you could then justify selling arenas.”
Udofia will continue his support for local campaign group #saveourtown by emblazoning their name on a new pair title fight trunks, as he did for his previous victories against Liam Griffiths and Darren Codona.
