Fighter Lee confident ahead of big night

BULLISH boxer Lee Appleyard says he's buzzing with confidence ahead of Saturday's big Commonwealth Lightweight title shot - even though it'll be in his opponent's own back yard.

BULLISH boxer Lee Appleyard says  he's buzzing with confidence ahead of Saturday's big Commonwealth Lightweight title shot - even though it'll be in his opponent's own back yard.

The 29-year-old from Rotherham meets Scouser Sean Dodd at Liverpool's Echo Arena in the biggest night of his career and even though he's only had a three-week build-up after taking the bout at short notice, Appleyard says the crown is there to be won.

He said: "It’s been a really good build-up and I’m in top shape, I feel really good.

“I’ve only had the three weeks to prepare for it but that’s been a good thing. It shows how fit I am and I think that only having a short preparation camp has helped me, it’s kept me sharp and everything has been really intense. If it had been a long build-up I’d probably have been sat around and waiting for the day to come around but it hasn’t been like that and the preparation work has been great.

"I'm going there to win - I'm not coming home without that title!"

There's a full-page preview in this week's Advertiser.