Nathan Heaney: Stoke fighter knows stakes are 'massive' heading into British title defence

Nathan Heaney (right) upset the pre-fight odds to beat Denzel Bentley and become British middleweight champion in Manchester

British middleweight champion Nathan Heaney says the stakes are "massive" ahead of his fight with Brad Pauls in terms of securing a potential shot at the world title.

The 34-year-old from Stoke defends his British crown for the first time against English champion Pauls in Birmingham on 16 March.

"I believe I have the style to compete and beat quite a few fighters," Heaney told BBC Radio Stoke.

"I have to win this fight."

Heaney extended his unbeaten record to 18 fights when he upset Denzel Bentley by a majority decision to claim the British title in November in Manchester and is now preparing for a swift return to the ring as his quest to bring a world title fight closer continues.

"It doesn't feel two seconds since I became the British champion. There was a very long gap between each of my last two or three fights, so to get back so soon feels great," he said. "You can keep the momentum going with the training."

'Hitman' Heaney has had his sights set of a date with current WBO and IBF champion Janibek Alimkhanuly ever since his win over Bentley a couple of months ago and knows he has the backing of promoter Frank Warren over a bout with the Kazakhstan fighter in his home city of Stoke if he can see off Pauls.

"Frank promised the winner of the fight with Denzel Bentley to fight for a world title this year," Heaney said.

"He also said if I win this fight he will sort the fight at the ground [Stoke City's bet365 Stadium] in the summer. So the stakes are massive for the fight."

Pauls 'wants to cause an upset'

Cornish fighter Pauls, won the English belt with an eighth-round knock-out of Mitchell Frearson at York Hall last September, seven months after losing his first shot at the national title against Tyler Denny on a unanimous decision - the only defeat of his career to date.

Heaney says the 30-year-old is a "very good domestic fighter" and knows he will be a dangerous opponent.

"He's someone I knew in the early days because we boxed similar people," Heaney said.

"He'd stopped certain boxers that I hadn't - some lads that I beat but hadn't knocked out, those lads have knocked out.

"So I know they've got the power there."

"Brad Pauls could be on the trajectory to the world stage, provided he beats me, but he's very good and I know he wants to cause an upset.

"The fact that I did a number on Denzel Bentley and won the title, I'm seen as the favourite."

'The only thing that exists is the 16th March'

Heaney against Pauls will be the headline act in the seven-title fight card at the Resorts World Arena but, despite so much resting on his fight, Heaney says he is not feeling any extra pressure.

"I'd say no," he said. "The pressure's always there. I want to win I don't want to lose. I can't imagine waking up the next day feeling like you'd let the whole city down.

"Denzel Bentley overlooked me, one hundred per cent. I saw him making comments on Twitter. He said something along the lines of 'I cant wait to fight Janibek [Alimkhanuly, world champion]', and he was talking about him like I didn't exist and our fight had been announced.

"I thought 'you've overlooked me' and I don't want to make the same mistake."

Heaney says it feels "crazy" to have British heavyweight and Olympic silver medallist Joe Joyce on the undercard in Birmingham and "surreal" to think back to six years ago when he was on the verge of quitting the sport to focus on a becoming a teacher.

"The WBO [World Boxing Organisation] have ranked me fourth in the world now. I remember breaking into the top twenty-five in Great Britain and now I'm top four in the world. It's totally mad," he said.

"To look back and fast forward to now, I would've never believed it. It just shows you if you put the graft in you never know what can happen. It's happening and it's incredible."

A 19th straight win will undoubtedly bring Heaney's dream of a world title fight in his own back yard a step closer but he is doing his best to make sure he does not get distracted by all the talk of that happening.

"You don't ever want to overlook your ability and come unstuck because there's always someone out there who wants to try to beat you.

"So Stoke and all that doesn't exist. The only thing that exists is the 16th March.

"We're going to make the most of these nights because you never know when they're going to end."

Brad Pauls turned professional in 2015 and has won 18 of his 19 fights with nine finishing inside the distance

Nathan Heaney was talking to BBC Radio Stoke's Lee Blakeman.