European light-heavyweight champion Brad Rea recognises he’s in the “biggest fight” of his career against Lyndon Arthur on Saturday.
The two came face-to-face at Thursday’s press conference ahead of their clash at the Manchester Arena, and Rea, 27, said: "Lyndon said in the build-up he’s been on a bigger stage and he’s boxed on another level and he’s right, he has. It’s a fact. That’s where I’m going and that’s the path I’m on and I’ve got to beat Lyndon to get there.
"I’ve known Lyndon a long time, and I don’t know if he still looks at me as the skinny little ginger kid who used to come sparring with him, but I’m not that same kid anymore, and I think deep down he knows that. He’s been in there with [Anthony] Yarde; he’s been in there with [Dmitry] Bivol, but he’s not been in there with me and it’s down to me to show what I can do.”
Arthur, who clearly likes Rea, said he was excited to get in to show Rea he still had hunger and ambition.
“I’ve been in big fights obviously, but I’ve not come out victorious,” he said. “I would like to get back up there. I’d like to think I’ve got at least a few years left in this game.”
Rea, 21-1 (10 KOs), who goes back years with the late Manchester legend Ricky Hatton, who managed him, was asked about the loss of the former champion.
“It was terrible to hear the news about Rick and I want to try and do him proud,” he said. Then, acknowledging he was a Manchester City fan, like Hatton, and that the 34-year-old Arthur supports rivals United, he continued: “And he would not let me live it down if I was beaten by a United fan.”
Arthur is 24-3 (16 KOs).
In the main event, Joshua Buatsi faces Zach Parker. Buatsi looked much bigger as they stared one another down, and the former Olympian said: “I’m ready for it. It’s a fight that I know I must win. It’s a fight that I’ve prepared very hard for, and I’m looking forward to. Being ambitious makes him dangerous, Parker seems very ambitious so he’s a dangerous fighter and it’s for me to go out there and handle business.”
Parker, 31, knows he has a huge opportunity ahead of him if he can spring an upset.
“There are a thousand boxers who would jump at this opportunity and I’m buzzing for it,” he said. Then, asked about being the underdog, the former British super-middleweight champion added; “That’s all just outside noise, it doesn’t affect me whatsoever. I’m here to do a job. It’s a new weight class for me but I feel like I’ve grown into it, it’s easier for me to make weight, it’s a massive division and there’s no better place to be in Britain than Queensberry with Frank Warren.”
Buatsi is 19-1 (13 KOs) and coming off the only loss of his career, to Callum Smith. The 32-year-old is a heavy favorite against Derby’s Parker, who is 26-1 (18 KOs).
There were ugly scenes when the undercard fighters Ezra Arenyeka and Billy Deniz went face to face.
They will fight in an eight-rounder at light-heavyweight and Arenyeka, who is 14-1 (11 KOs) slapped Deniz with an egg, as Chris Eubank Jnr did with Conor Benn earlier in the year.
Deniz, trained by Manchester’s Joe Gallagher, is 13-0 (5 KOs), and had earlier spoken about getting the better of Arenyeka in sparring.
“I’m going to put this boy to sleep,” replied Arenyeka.
Things were more cordial between the 13-1 (6 KOs) Troy Jones and Liam Cameron.
“All due respect to him, he stepped in when [Daniel] Lapin pulled out but he’s in my way and I’m going to move him out my way,” said Jones. “He’s just another person at the end of the day and I’m confident I can beat them all… I’m more than confident I’m going to do a number on him.”
“I don’t know much about him,” revealed Cameron, 23-7-1 (10 KOs). “I know he’s a tough lad. This is the first time I’ve ever seen him. Tall lad, I wish him nothing but the best, but this is a different Liam Cameron coming in. If I lose this fight, it stops. The big sponsorships paying me monthly, it stops, this free clobber, it stops. I’ve got to do a number on this guy. I’ll be coming with everything.”
The two shared an embrace and a high five and then went their separate ways.
