Kevin McCauley's eyes on the prize

Stourbridge welterweight Kevin McCauley is happy to be considered the underdog when he faces Midlands champion Dave Ryan for the title.

McCauley will head into the lions den tonight and attempt to rip the belt from Ryan in front of his hometown supporters at Derby's Heritage Hotel.

It's a chance for the 31-year-old to salvage something from a career that had drifted into journeyman status, with 19 defeats out of 28 in a busy two years since turning pro in 2008.

That track record does not do justice to how tough the former national judo champion is in the ring, as British Masters champion Sean McKervey can testify after a fighting draw at the start of last month.

The 'anywhere, anytime' approach that McCauley has taken to boxing is, ironically, what has landed him an area title shot, after being called in as a replacement for injured Coventry fighter James Flinn.

Ryan brutally knocked out another fighter from Stourbridge, Scott Evans, in two rounds to take the vacant belt last year but has never defended his crown until now.

And the challenger is hoping to be underestimated on fight night.

McCauley said: "Maybe he thinks he's got an easy night with me, looking at my record, as long as he boxes nice. Maybe they will tell him 'he's a tough lad but you can win this quite easily, as long as you stick to your boxing.'

"That's how I want it to stay, because I don't want him to think I am too confident. I am not going there to tickle him, I am doing this for a belt and nothing else. This means everything to me and more, I have always dreamed of a title and I am ready for it.

"To get a shot is brilliant, but to win it would be more than I have ever expected."

McCauley's willingness to step up to the plate saw him risk his title shot two weeks ago, going to Manchester's Velodrome to fight Nick Quigley.

Any sort of injury would have put the Ryan fight in grave doubt but the would-be challenger emerged unscathed, although on the losing end of another points call after four rounds.

With the benefit of hindsight, McCauley admits it would have probably been best to have stayed at home that night.

He said: "I could have been cut, bruised, stopped, anything could have happened and that would have been my title shot gone. I didn't think about it at the time, I didn't want to.

"This could be my last opportunity and I didn't want anything to get in the way of that. Looking back on it, I should never have taken the fight.

"I never should have lost it either, I thought I had two rounds of the fight which would made it a draw."