HIS biggest live performance to date? Check.
A relatively-unknown late replacement as an opponent? Check.
Putting his skills on show for countless YouTube subscribers and a huge pay-per-view audience. Check.
You could be forgiven for thinking Jack Cullen is feeling apprehensive ahead of walking out in front of thousands of fight fans at the Manchester Arena.
But his trainer Tommy Battel says ‘Little Lever’s Meat Cleaver’ is itching to get in the ring.
Cullen is looking to extend his perfect professional record to seven wins from seven when he faces Ruislip journeyman Callum Eade on the undercard of Hughie Fury’s title match tomorrow night.
Far from baulking at fighting in front of such a big crowd, Battel says his young charge is showing no signs of stage fright.
“Nervousness is not in Jack’s make-up,” he told The Bolton News. “He’s unique like that, he’s getting championship treatment, weighing-in on the day and it will be a big occasion. There’s pressure, with the bright lights and the expectation but Jack’s been going great guns in training, he’s climbing the walls because he wants to get on with it.”
Battel, who puts him through the wringer at Castle Hill Boxing Club, knows what he is capable of achieving, having coached tomorrow night’s headliner as an amateur.
“We don’t know much about Callum Eade other than that he’s tall and a bit awkward but we’ll go into it with confidence,” he said. “I expect Jack to win this one, we’re looking at fighting Adam Jones in Jack’s last six-rounder after that then look to move up to an eight-round match before Christmas.
“We should hopefully be looking at going for an area title if that all goes well.
“I had Hughie [Fury] as an amateur, never lost an amateur bout under me, I think he only lost once, an international match, I wasn’t in his corner but he was clearly under the weather.
“Jack and Jack Flatley (Elite Gym boxer from Farnworth) have been over in Belgium training with the Furys in the past. It was a great experience and something that stands Jack in good stead for his career.”
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