Chris Blaney aiming to win back fans with a great performance in a massive step up

This Sunday is the one year anniversary of Chris Blaney‘s professional debut.

This Saturday the Meath middleweight takes a massive step up in class – and this is exactly what he wants,

Blaney [6(3)-0] fights on the Red Corner ‘For Honour and Pride’ bill at the National Stadium, the scene of his debut, where he will face recent Southern Area champion Nicky Jenman [18(2)-9(5)].

While Blaney had taken a step up in his first six rounder to face Christian Hoskin Gomez in April, Saturday’s six with the Brighton southpaw is a different proposition altogether.

Jenman comes into the fight with nine wins in his last ten, including a destructive fifth round stoppage of hot prospect Tey Lynn Jones, and promises to be a massive test for ‘The Ginger Ninja.’

An elite amateur, Blaney does not believe that the step up is too steep or too early, and he told Irish-Boxing.com that “I’m very happy with my progress so far and happy to be busy.”

“I don’t think it [the big step up] has come quicker than expected, I’m improving every fight so I think the step up is at just the right time.”

With a proper challenge on the table, the Ricky Hatton-trained fighter comes into the bout better prepared than ever.

Blaney outlined how “coming into this fight I feel a totally different fighter than in my previous fights.”

“I’m the fittest I’ve been and the lightest, everything we’ve been working on in the gym has all come together in time for this fight. ”

So far in his career, Blaney has had three fights in England and three fights in Ireland – and it just so happens that his three more competitive fights were across the water. This all changes Saturday.

This pleases the Navan man, who has scored three stoppages in Dublin, especially after his last Irish fight came against an extremely late and out-of-shape opponent in Adrian Pirlogea (pictured), whom he easily knocked out in the second.

Blaney explained how “I’m very much looking forward to this fight, not just for me, but for my fans.”

“I felt bad last time, all the people who paid good money to come watch me and were disappointed with the opponent. Tickets haven’t gone great for this fight, but I think it’s because of the last opponent.”

“Everyone who has supported me now and in the past I’m very grateful for them spending their hard earned money, and hopefully I’ll put on a great performance for them on Saturday.”

Blaney will need a great performance against the tough Englishman, and he promises that he has a number of plans to deal with the 31 year old.

The Irishman stated that “I’ll be well prepared for this fight.”

“I’ve only watched one fight of him, I don’t like watching too much of them. Ricky, Blain, and Mike do all the study, even my dad watched him and told me what his faults are.”

“We have a plan and we have two or three other plans if the first one doesn’t go right.”

The card this weekend is headlined by two Irish title fights, Luke Keeler v Darren Cruise at middleweight, and Paddy McDonagh v Stevie Collins at light heavyweight, aswell as appearances from Ray Moylette, Victor Rabeii, Allan Phelan, Thomas Finnegan, and Craig O’Brien.

Tickets for the June 24th show cost €40 (general) and €60 (ringside) and are available from the boxers involved.

Photo Credit: Ricardo Guglielminotti – The Fighting Irish (@ThefIrish)