Express & Star

Stourbridge's Sam Eggington ready to defend title 10,000 miles from home

Sam Eggington has warned he hasn’t travelled 10,000 miles to lose as he prepares to make the first defence of his world title in Australia.

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The Stourbridge boxer faces Dennis Hogan in Newcastle tomorrow with the IBO super welterweight crown he claimed in June on the line.

Hogan will be very much the crowd favourite as he looks to become a world champion at the fourth and likely final attempt.

But Eggington, who became one of the youngest professional boxers in Britain when he began his career a decade ago aged 18, points out fighting on the road is not a new experience.

“I’ve fought away since the very start of my career,” he said. “My debut was away, so I’ve been in enemy territory from the start.

“The only difference with this trip is the plane ride. I’m here to do a job and that is what I plan to do.”

Even so, the 40th bout of his pro career promises to be an unusual experience for Eggington. His fight is part of a 20-strong card at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre.

“It’s the first I’ve heard of a show with so many fights,” he added. “I’m looking forward to seeing what it looks like.

“The bottom line is I haven’t travelled this far, for so long, to give up my belt. I can’t say more than that.”

Three of Irish-born Hogan’s four defeats have come in world title bouts and the 37-year-old admits tomorrow represents his final chance.

He said: “I think it is my turn now. I really want to bring the belt home to my daughter, who is five. She said: ‘I really hope you can do it daddy’. That is all the motivation I needed.

“I feel the last 12 years as a professional all comes down to Saturday night. I have either ticked that box, or I haven’t.

“I have been very conscious of that through the camp. I have truly put in the best camp I could and I think that performance will show on Saturday night.

“Sam is an absolute warrior. There are people on his record he has beaten, like Frankie Gavin, he has had some phenomenal wins. His style is tough, as we all know.

“It is about me negating that, boxing my fight and trying to win every second of every round.

“I am under no illusions but Sam is here, we are in Newcastle, he’s had to travel, I’m older but it comes down to who wants that belt more. It makes for a fantastic fight.”