'Life changing moment' as Sutherland headlines MSG

Dean Sutherland in 2018

Dean Sutherland says headlining at the Theater inside Madison Square Garden will be "a life changing event" and has vowed to show he is "a world level operator".

He will challenge Ireland's Callum Walsh for the WBC Continental Americas super-welterweight title in a bout that will top the bill during March's St Patrick's Day weekend.

The Aberdonian, whose last fight was in the Beach Ballroom in his home city, admits it will be "surreal" following in the footsteps of boxing greats like Muhammed Ali, Joe Frazier and Mike Tyson at the iconic New York venue.

"It is a pinch yourself moment," Sutherland, 26, told BBC Scotland.

"It is life changing, a life changing event and opportunity and one that I know I fully deserve."

And he added: "That is a dream everybody thinks, 'oh, I wish I could do this, I wish I could do that' but I never actually thought it would fully come to fruition.

"It will be very surreal once I am able to walk into the venue, see my name up in the big lights, on the posters. I think that is when it will really sink in and the excitement takes over.

"I have got no idea how it is going to feel but it is my absolute dream venue, when everybody has said, 'what is your dream venue?'

"I have always said Pittodrie because that is the most realistic one. I never once thought Madison Square Garden was going to be on the table but if it comes down to choosing any venue to go to compete in this world, Madison Square Garden is right up there.

"I know I am a world level operator but I just haven't had the opportunity to show it to everybody."

Sutherland, has some experience of the Madison Square Garden atmosphere, albeit as a spectator to watch basketball teams the Brooklyn Nets and the New York Knicks.

"Just being in the atmosphere, seeing the venue, if the walls could talk the amount of stories they would be able to tell you would be unbelievable," he explained.

"I'm a huge Michael Jordan fan and he has always said that has been his favourite venue to compete in.

"I have got an iconic picture of one of the posters that actually says 'The Mecca of Boxing' in Madison Square Garden.

"I have got a picture next to that which is a nice little throwback, so to see that actually coming to fruition and I am going to be headlining at Madison Square Garden is a surreal moment."

'I am going to be the acid test for Walsh'

He will be taking an impressive professional record of just one loss in his 20 fights into his bout with Walsh.

Sutherland successfully defended his Celtic super-welterweight title in November, defeating fellow Scot Fraser Wilkinson in a fight that also doubled as a British and Commonwealth title eliminator.

But the showdown with undefeated Walsh – who is placed in the top 10 in both the WBC and IBF rankings – represents the toughest test to date.

"I am going to upset the odds," Sutherland added. "It is not if I can, I know I am more than capable of doing it, I know the best version of Callum Walsh does not beat the best version of me, I will win hands down.

"He has been very well backed, he has been very well guided. His opponents have been chosen at the right time for him but I know they have made a mistake with me. I am going to be the acid test that he is not going to be ready for."