Dudley’s Ryan Aston admits he’s waiting for someone to “come and have a go” at him as he prepares to box on the Sky Sports bill in Wigan.

Aston faces Welshman Joe Jones in a four-round middleweight contest at the Robin Park Centre tonight, his fourth fight since turning pro in June.

The 20-year-old is still hanging on for his first stoppage in the paid ranks and believes negative opponents have played their part in the wait.

At this embryonic stage of his career, such problems are considered par for the course so ‘Tank’ has had to think outside of the box.

But Jones comes to fight and Aston is hoping that will give him the chance to have a proper ‘tear-up’ for the first time in the pro ranks.

He said: “This guy, apparently, comes forward and tries to have it and I want that, I want him to try and have a go. But, when he feels power, he won’t want to come forward anymore.

“That has happened with all of my opponents, they have come forward and then gone back, not wanting to mix it but to tuck up and survive.

“You can always prise open their guard and leave them open to counters, but you have to test what they will react to first.”

“It’s all about breaking them down, as long as something works for you it can be used, time and time again.”

Dirty tactics hampered Aston’s work in his last fight, as he was cut twice by the right eye by a clash of heads and had to box three rounds defending the wound against Dean Walker.

Aston still won all six rounds that night, at Birmingham’s Tower Ballrooms in September, but has been working on staying out of harm’s way.

He said: “I am glad it happened now, I didn’t think he was going to test me at all but he did, just in a different way. It’s not the way to box but that’s how those sort of opponents do it.

“It’s an experience to take on board and work on and, the next time I am in that situation, I will know how to deal with it. If I do get in close, we have been working on avoiding that high cut.

“I doubt that a punch could make that cut, I am slippery as well so they are not going to catch me flush.”