BOLTON boxer Paul Drago aims to move closer to a potential British and European title fight in Germany tonight.

The cruiserweight puts his unbeaten record on the line as he travels outside the British Isles for the first team in his professional career.

He faces fellow unbeaten Artur Mann of Kazakhstan over eight rounds on a high-class bill topped by Brit Nathan Cleverly’s fight with Juergen Braehmer for the German’s light-heavyweight crown in Neubrandenburg.

Thirty-two-year-old Drago, who is approaching 10 fights in his professional career, is hoping to make his biggest statement yet.

If he keeps winning his trainer Alex Matvienko, of Elite gym in Halliwell, hopes the Great Lever fighter will get closer to a match-up with British and European super middleweight champion Callum Smith who also trains in Bolton, as one of Joe Gallagher’s world-class stable at Gloves gym, also in Halliwell.

“This is a big one for Paul,” said Matvienko. “He has already defeated two high-ranked fighters in the last two fights and he stopped them both.

“He was the underdog in both and he showed what he can do.”