CRAIG RITCHIE

Kash Farooq is braced for the biggest night of his boxing career as he lays his Lonsdale belt on the line.

The Scots bruiser, who trains out of Paisley’s Pro-Life, is set to make his third defence of the British bantamweight title against Duane Winters tonight.

The unbeaten scrapper would make the belt his own if he could do what the likes of Prince Nasseem and Amir Khan failed to do before him... and defend the title again.

That would make the eye-catching belt his own for keeps and Farooq is hoping to make a little bit of history.

He told Express Sport: “It’s the biggest fight I’ve ever hard. Having that history on the line makes it even more special.

“But I am going in to the ring to do a job and I can’t let that play on my mind. Once I step through the ropes it will be business as usual.

“I have seen others try and fail to defend the title before me but I always have the trust and confidence in myself to go out there and be successful.

“I’ve done a lot of work in the gym and at Pro-Life with Alex Whelan and this is the best I have ever felt.

“The boy Duane will be tricky but I always back myself and I think I should have too much for him at this level.”

The bout is to be broadcast live on BBC Scotland as the public get a glimpse at the next big thing in Scottish boxing.

But Farooq won’t let that deflect away from the focus he has on coming away with the win.

He added: “It is brilliant to get that recognition and the chance to fight in front of the cameras.

“My last three fights have now been on the television but I won’t let that get to me.”

Farooq attributes a lot of his success to the strength and conditioning training that he carries out in Paisley with Whelan.

And Whelan revealed he is proud of the surge to the top that the boxer has enjoyed over the past couple of years.

He said: “Kash in superb shape and it is all down to the hard work and effort that he has put into making himself every bit of a success.

“We have been working with him intensly but he has been a credit to himself throughout his work in the gym.

“It is an honour for ourselves as a gym to be helping Kash on his journey and helping him being everything he can be.

“The kids love having him in the gym and he is always more than happy to speak to them and pose for pictures.

“He is a great ambassador for the club and we can’t wait to see him back in the ring.

“We always take a table and we are looking forward to him taking home the Lonsdale belt.”