EARLY tomorrow evening Bury's Ady Lewis will have a good idea just where his rollercoaster boxing career is heading -- to the stars or to the scrap heap.

The man they call the Mighty Atom is well aware of the consquences of defeat against Belfast's Tommy Waite at Harvey Hadden Sports Centre, Nottingham. Well aware, but not prepared to contemplate it!

Victory in the six-round bout would catapult Lewis into a world title fight three weeks later against Colombian IBO bantamweight champion "King" Jose Sanjuanelo.

Defeat would put a big question mark against the career of the former British and Commonwealth flyweight and bantamweight champion.

"It's the biggest fight of my career and I know it could be all over if I lose, " Lewis told the Bury Times.

"It's a massive fight and one I have to win because there would be nowhere else to go for me."

As if the carrot of a world title shot isn't enough, there are one or two other reasons why Lewis is determined to see off the challenge of Waite.

The Belfast greengrocer controversially robbed Lewis of his British and Commonwealth bantamweight titles 12 months ago.

After four rounds of action, a clash of heads left the Bury man with a nasty eye cut that inexperienced referee Mark Green deemed bad enough to end the bout.

Despite his good intentions, the Lewis camp were furious that they weren't given the chance to treat the wound, especially as they had one of boxing's best "cuts men" Benny King, in their corner.

It was widely thought that Lewis had won every round prior to the cut and even Waite's manager, Barry Hearn, sympathised saying a re-match would be the best outcome.

That went by the board when Waite was surprisingly, but deservedly, beaten on points by Nottingham youngster Nicky Booth in his first defence.

Lewis got his chance to win back his belts, against Booth, in February, but a seventh-round defeat in what has been described as "the fight of the year" left him deflated.

That's why tomorrow's fight is so important for Britain's smallest professional boxer, who knows just what he has to do against the All-Ireland bantamweight champion.

"I know I'll have to look out for another clash of heads, but I intend to be "in-and-out" more this time," he explained.

"Waite will be giving it his best, but he hasn't fought for 12 months and I feel I have the power to win inside the six rounds.

"Even if I don't finish it inside the distance, I can win convincingly on points.

"I put him down last time we fought -- this time I intend to keep him there!"

Confident, but not cocky, Lewis's ability to shut a possible world title fight from his thoughts will undoubtedly work in his favour once he gets in the ring.

And he's dedicating his 24th professional fight to his friend Tommy Brooks' father, Graham, who tragically died a few weeks ago at the age of 52.

"Graham used to follow me all over and was at my last fight in Nottingham in February. He would have been there again tomorrow," said Lewis.

"But his wife Maggie and Tommy will be among my supporters on the night and I dedicate the fight to Graham's memory."

The fight is to be recorded on the night by Sky Sports.