Lomachenko vs Campbell: I'll miss it to protect my new belts, insists Gavin Gwynne

Gavin Gwynne, who challenges for the British and Commonwealth lightweight titles on Saturday’s huge Vasiliy Lomachenko vs Luke Campbell pay-per-view show, has little in common with champion Joe Cordina, apart from their shared nationality. The fact both men hail from Wales and have crossed paths in the gym before adds spice to what could otherwise be viewed as a mismatch. Tall aggressor Gwynne, 11-0 (1) and from Treharris, has fought just one opponent with a winning record, while 9-0 (7) Cardiffian Cordina was a highly decorated amateur, an Olympian with eye-catching ability. Despite this apparent disparity in levels, Gwynne is so confident in unseating his compatriot, he insists he will miss the O2 main event to look after his new belts.

“I’ll win on Saturday night and bring the belts back to the Valleys,” he vowed. “It’s opening big doors for me and the big fights are on the horizon. Then I’ll be taking the belts with me back to the hotel room, keeping them safe. I’m very confident.”

**Ranking the Lomachenko vs Campbell show fight by fight**

In the past, Cordina spent plenty of time training at St Joe’s in Newport, under the auspices of Gwynne’s coach, Tony Borg. The latter knows the former European amateur king well and has been typically thorough in his approach.

“We’ve been working on everything,” Tony confirmed. “Joe brings a lot to the table, he’s got a lot of experience and we’ve covered every corner. Joe’s style, Gavin’s aggression… it’s gonna be a great Welsh fight.”

The quiet confidence of Team Gwynne is hard to ignore but this is a huge step up for the prospect and he’ll need to show composure under a spotlight to which he is unaccustomed. “This is my first time being involved in a show like this,” he noted. “The public workout and everything else, it’s a bit surreal but it’s all part and parcel of big-time boxing.”

If Gwynne can retain his calm and stick to a gameplan, he may just give Cordina a tougher night than is widely anticipated.