Boxer Burkinshaw determined to be best of British - AUDIO INTERVIEW
SHEFFIELD boxer Ross Burkinshaw has sent a cheeky message across to South Yorkshire's latest champion: 'You're just keeping the belt warm for me.'
Doncaster's Jamie McDonnell won the British bantamweight title in Brentwood, Essex last month. He is now set to challenge for the European title in France next month.
Burkinshaw, England's English super flyweight title-holder, wants to take the Lonsdale belt off him.
The Sheffielder lost an attempt at the British super flyweight title in Sunderland last July - but that hasn't put him off.
Click on the green audio icon to hear Bob Westerdale's full interview with Ross Burkinshaw
He said: "I'm still superflyweight English champion which obviously isn't as good as a British and Commonwealth but I have stepped up to bantamweight.
"He is just keeping it warm for me until I get the opportunity to fight him, if he'll give me the opportunity, which I think he will.
"He is a good lad, an excellent fighter."
Burkinshaw said he would bring a contingent of fans if they boxed, in either Doncaster or Sheffield.
"It would be brilliant, an excellent fight. And I am confident I'll beat him but not taking anything away from Jamie. He has got skill determination. He is the same age as me 23, an inch taller.
"If he wants to keep it (Lonsdale belt) outright, obviously then he has go to defend it three times so he should be confident enough to beat me.
"I am coming off a British title loss he is coming off a British title and Commonwealth win so it's in his favour to fight me and if he wants to be the best in Britain, then he needs to fight the best in South Yorkshire."
Burkinshaw claimed his "big right hand" would be a deciding factor in any fight with McDonnell.
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