Wadi Camacho admits defeat is ‘not an option’ as he prepares to face Stephen Simmons in a crucial cruiserweight clash.
The Londoner’s career has stuttered amidst costly defeats against China Clarke and Tony Conquest, but he will rise up the rankings with a win over Simmons at the Braehead Arena in Glasgow on June 27, live on Sky Sports.
Camacho, a Prizefighter champion, insists he learned from the two setbacks and will produce a dominant performance in front of his Scottish rival’s supporters.
He said: “Losing to him is not an option. It's the mistakes I've made that have seen me lose and I have learnt from my two defeats as I gave those fights away. I am strong-minded and in a happy place.
I've got this boy in front of me and I need to do the business. I'm going there full steam ahead and it's going to be a hot night for him, too hot.
“There's only going to be one man throwing bombs and that's me. He's going to be chucking wild shots, but I am not predicting what I am going to do, everybody knows what I do, so I'll let the fans talk about that.
“I am just going to go and enjoy myself, and put on a beautiful performance for the Scottish fans.”
The pair were team-mates in the Great Britain set-up but have fallen out since then, stoking up their rivalry with some ugly exchanges on social media sites.
Amateurs
Camacho is confident he will dish out a first defeat to his unbeaten foe, suggesting that the Scot has not improved since they were amateurs.
“We were on the GB team together and went to America on the same team and I even have photos of us two together as mates,” said Camacho. “Maybe he was worried about me taking his place on the squad? I don’t know.
“We did a bit of sparring a few years ago, but it was just a bit of technical stuff. With him what you see now is that same as he was six or seven years ago, he hasn’t been exposed properly and on June 27 I’m going to expose him.”
All of the bad blood in the build-up should mean Camacho receives a hot reception in Glasgow, but he has vowed to keep his cool when the first bell rings.
“I’m expecting a hostile atmosphere in the Braehead Arena come fight night,” said Camacho. “Booing and jeering, loads of noise, but I say to his fans: ‘Keep that coming, the more boos I get the more it will lift me up’. I’m going to take all the negativity and turn it positive, it’s going to be great.
“I'm just grateful that I have the chance to box on a big bill and fight somewhere I have never fought before and put on a great show on Sky Sports.”
Former world champion Ricky Burns returns to action on the same bill, facing unbeaten Montenegrin Dejan Zlaticanin in an official eliminator for the WBC world lightweight title.
Reigning British champion Curtis Woodhouse will also face Commonwealth title holder Willie Limond.
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