'Tank' spars with world champion Andy Lee
Dudley's Ryan Aston has been sparring with reigning world champion Andy Lee to get himself ready for his step up next month.
Aston will take on Nathan Graham at Wolverhampton Civic Hall in an eliminator for the English light middleweight title on October 4,
Their 10-rounder should produce the next challenger to Navid Mansouri's national belt, with Graham himself a former Southern area titlist.
The switch hitter should prove a test for 'Tank,' but the 24-year-old southpaw has been pitting himself against the best in the training ring.
WBO middleweight boss Lee, of Irish travelling descent, is ticking over while he waits for next challenger Billy Joe Saunders to recover from a cut eye.
Aston travelled to London, where Lee is regularly put this through the paces at trainer Adam Booth's gym, and stepped through the ropes for some top-class preparation.
His coach Paul Gough watched his fighter reap the benefits from the experience, which he's backing Aston to take into battle at the Civic.
Gough said: "I rate Adam as one of the best at his craft in the country and he's got Andy performing at his peak, so there's no easy ride for anyone going down there.
"He's a southpaw, too, and his jab is up there with as good as anything I have seen. It's so hard to predict when he's going to throw it.
"But Ryan did well with him, mainly because he used his brain and then his skills. It was all feints and then attacking in bursts.
"That will serve him well against Nathan Graham. We've done our homework on him and we know he's quite tricky.
"I was expecting him to be one-dimensional, but he wasn't. He's orthodox but hits hard with both hands, so Ryan will need his wits about him."
It could be now or never for Aston, who has twice unsuccessfully challenged for the Midlands title, both at middleweight and then light middle.
The latter came at the Civic in June, where he was controversially outpointed by two rounds against Jason Welborn as he retained his crown.
Rowley Regis' Welborn has now moved on to meet three-time world title challenger Matthew Macklin, for the WBC International strap in Birmingham on October 17.
That spot, at the Barclaycard Arena live on Sky Sports, could well have been given to Aston by promoters Matchroom Boxing had the result gone the other way.
And Gough insists that's not a call Aston would have shirked, as he reckons a left-hander with a sound game-plan might stand a better chance.
He said: "In the end, it's turned better for the both of them. We wish Jason all of the best and we're rooting for him.
"But had the shoe been on the other foot, we'd have definitely taken the fight. You have to when these opportunities come up.
"I actually think a tricky southpaw would cause Macklin problems, but you'd have to be slick and even a bit cute with him.
"If you can nullify him when he's loading up, that would make him more vulnerable. At least that's what I would have been telling Ryan."
The Civic show, which is nearing a sell out, will be headlined by Tommy Langford's first defence of the WBO Inter-Continental middleweight title against Argentinian Christian Fabian Rios.
Former British, Commonwealth and IBF world champion Paul Butler, who hovers between super fly and bantam, will compete in the fight night's third 10-rounder.
Aston's Priory Park Boxing Club stable-mates Les Byfield and debutant Josh Miller also have four-round bouts on the card.
Midlands super middle champion Andrew Robinson, from Redditch, has been pencilled in for a six-rounder with Tyler Denny, also trained by Shaun Cooper, another appearing.
Frank Warren's television channel will broadcast live with his fighters Josh Leather, Macaulay McGowan, Leon Woodstock and Brummie Raza Hamza completing the line-up.
BoxNation is available via subscription on Sky 437-HD 490, Virgin 546 and Talk Talk 415 or online at Livesport.tv, iPhone, iPad and Android.
For tickets - priced at £40, £60 and £100 ringside - call the Civic box office on 0870 320 7000 or promoter Paul 'PJ' Rowson on 07976 283 157.
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