By Chris Williamson

Coming off the biggest win of his career against Sam Eggington, British welterweight champion Bradley Skeete (23-1, 10 KO's) defends his WBO European title against Frenchman Alexandre Lepelley on a huge Queensbury Promotions bill in Cardiff on Saturday 16 July. 

"He doesn't (often) get stopped. He's only been stopped against Michele Di Rocco who Burns just beat," Skeete adds. "But no disrespect, at the level I'm at, I need to do a good job on him. I've really put the work in and I'm expecting to get rounds."

Having vacated the Commonwealth belt, Skeete holds the British title and explains the reasoning behind defending the WBO European championship. "I'm currently number six with the WBO and now (WBO welterweight champion, Jesse) Vargas is without an opponent (following scrapped negotiations with IBF titlist Kell Brook), so who knows? He could look down the (WBO rankings) list and the phone might ring. So for that reason it's good to keep the WBO happy (by defending their European bauble)." 

If that Vargas call were to come, Skeete doesn't hesitate. "Most definitely, I'd take it right away. My priority is (securing) the British title outright, but if Bob Arum called to offer the Vargas fight, I'd take it now. I could even go up the rankings after this fight." 

The announcement Brook wouldn't fight Vargas in a welterweight unification, but challenge middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin took Skeete by surprise. "I was shocked. I didn't see it coming at all. There was all the talk of Brook v Vargas and before you know it the fight with "GGG" was signed. Fair play to Kell and good luck to him. It goes to prove what kind of man he is." 

Skeete, is an optimistic, positive character and credits Brook with a chance against the middleweight wrecking machine. "Of course. It's like with Jazza (Dickens) and "Rigo" this weekend. It's a boxing ring and anything can happen. He's just a man and if Kell trains hard, which I know he will, then Golovkin has two arms and two legs too, and although a big underdog (Kell) has a chance." 

The Golovkin v Brook match up might have implications for the status of Kell's IBF welterweight belt. "It could free up that title (were Brook to win or decide against returning to the lower weight) and I'm number seven or eight with the IBF. I'm positioned nicely (at world level), but not looking past Saturday," says Skeete.

The Kent (via London) ranks the British and Commonwealth title winning decision against Sam Eggington as the best of his career. "I trained so hard that night and was up against it in his back yard (Birmingham) on a rival promoters show. But I know I can improve on that and have things to work on, always. I believe that as I fight better fighters, my performances will be better too." 

The domestic champion is excited to witness fellow British holder James "Jazza" Dickens challenge the great Cuban, Guillermo Rigondeaux for his newly reinstated WBA "Super" super bantamweight title. "I can't wait to see him (Rigondeaux) in action and to perform on the same show as him" says Skeete. 

"The perfect next twelve months for me will involve three (British) defences taking in a voluntary, a mandatory and another voluntary. Then perhaps a European challenge before I'm really knocking on the door of the world scene." 

Skeete v Lepelley features on a big bill in Cardiff on Saturday 16 July, broadcast live from 6pm on Boxnation.