BURY'S flyweight boxing sensation Ady Lewis goes into his biggest fight to date with a chilling warning for his French opponent - "I'm raring to go and have never felt better!"

The British and Commonwealth Flyweight champion takes on European title holder David Guerault at Bowlers, Trafford Park tomorrow evening in a show brought together by Frank Moloney's Panix Promotions and Steve Foster's Viking organisation.

Guerault, a five foot eight-and-a-half inch southpaw is Europe's tallest flyweight but that doesn't worry the "Mighty Atom," who is Britain's smallest boxer and stands ten inches shorter. He is determined to do a David and Goliath job on the lanky Frenchman.

"Guerault is sure to be an awkward customer but I've prepared well and will get under him and punish him to the body. I'm confident I'll be OK," reckoned Lewis.

"I've been sparring against opponents of a similar build and style, including Yorkshireman John Ashton, and I feel my last fight (against Peter Culshaw) has really brought me on. I'm going into this one on top of my form," he declared.

Victory over Guerault would line the hard-hitting Bury battler up for a possible world title shot and round off a superb twelve months in which he'd have won four championship belts inside a year.

He clinched the Central Area title last December before taking the British crown in January with a points decision over Scotsman Keith Knox in Glasgow.

A successful defence against Londoner Mark Reynolds put the local man on the road to a Lonsdale belt for keeps and in September he wrested the Commonwealth title from highly-rated Liverpudlian Peter Culshaw in his toughest fight to date. In front of a national audience on Sky TV Lewis showed the heart of a champion to pick himself off the canvas in the first round before overwhelming Culshaw with a tenth round stoppage.

But no-one in Lewis' Tara Sports camp is taking the Frenchman easily after his surprise knockout win over former holder Jesper Jensen in the Dane's own backyard in June.

Something has to give in tomorrow's showdown as both fighters boast exemplary records.

The Bury man is undefeated in fourteen fights, with ten stoppages while Guerault, ranked fifth in the world by the WBC, has a record of ten wins out of ten, five inside the distance.

Nevertheless, Lewis' manager and trainer Jack Doughty is confident his man can get to Guerault and believes the Frenchman's height could work against him.

"Guerault can box and punch a bit but Ady likes them tall and can do a job on him," he explained.

"His height will work in our favour as Ady will be able to get underneath him and work on his body shots, he's so strong in that area that I believe he will grind him down.

"He is feeling marvellous, has been totally disciplined in training and will have no problem making the weight.

"And if he comes through this one successfully we will certainly be working on a title defence before his home-town fans for next summer," added Doughty.

GO!

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