By Lee Collier

Former British and Commonwealth light-heavyweight champion Tony Oakey, 34, starts off on the path to regain his belts by fighting Norwich’s Danny McIntosh, 29, for McIntosh’s English light-heavyweight title at the Fenton Manor Sports complex, Stoke on Friday night.

Oakey, 29-4-1 (8 early), has split his training between the Spanish island of Tenerife and Johnny Eames’ gym in London; the 34-year-old veteran feels that everything has gone to plan.

“The training has gone essentially well,” said a confident Oakey.  “I have been out to Tenerife for a couple of weeks of fitness training and I was training before I went out.  I have come back training in London and the sparring has gone really well.  It’s just a case of waiting for the fight - I’m looking forward to it.”

Both Oakey and McIntosh have both lost to current British, European and Commonwealth champion Nathan Cleverly, although Oakey feels that he performed the better of the two against the Welshman.

“The only thing I will look at with my fight and Danny’s fight with Cleverly is that McIntosh knew about his fight for months and Cleverly stopped McIntosh in seven rounds.  I only got three-and-a-half weeks notice and I give Nathan Cleverly a hard 12 round fight.  I have known about this McIntosh fight for months so there will be no excuses,” declared Oakey.

Next up for Oakey could be a fight against Isaac Chilemba on the 26th of March in a possible WBC International title tilt, but the 34 year old believes it would be a mistake to look past the dangerous McIntosh match.

“They [Hatton Promotions] have offered me a fight on the condition that I come through the McIntosh fight.  It was just a fight that I was asked would I be interested in but first of all I need this win over Danny or all these plans mean nothing,” admitted Oakey.

Tony is driven on by the desire to recoup the Lonsdale belt he once held and he would be ecstatic if the fight was against Cleverly.  And the Hampshire-born fighter believes he still has two years left in the tank to achieve his goals.

“I train exceptionally hard and I beat anyone in the gym at any fitness tests and my resting heart beat is exceptionally low and I’m just fortunate to have been given that gift,” explained Oakey.

“I still feel fresh and feel I have a couple years to give to the sport.  When Tony Oakey doesn’t feel at his peak then I won’t need telling [to retire], I am not a fighter that needs telling I will know myself as I am in this sport to win and not just make up the numbers.”