Jack Cullen believes Felix Cash wanted to duck title fight

Little Lever’s English champion is looking to add the Commonwealth middleweight title to his collection against Cash at the Manchester Arena on Saturday night.

The pair were due to meet in July only for the Berkshire fighter to pull out with a hand injury.

Cullen instead impressed in stopping John Harding Jnr in Liverpool and is now looking to complete a breakout year in style.

The 25-year-old, who has lost just one of 18 fights, thinks Cash would have been happy for the fight not to be rescheduled, with around 700 fans set to be backing Cullen on the big Matchroom Boxing card live on Sky Sports.

“Last time he said he said he had a sore hand or something. That was absolute rubbish,” said the Tommy Battel-trained fighter.

“It’s definitely happening now and I’m over the moon.

“I want this fight and want the Commonwealth title. He doesn’t want this fight and would have gone looking elsewhere.

“Matchroom and Eddie (Hearn) have told him that he has to fight me.

“It’s been a long build-up but I’m grateful to Matchroom for getting me that fight in Liverpool and it will be an honour to be involved in this one.”

With their July date scrapped Cullen has had plenty of time to study the man in the opposite corner this weekend.

Cash has seven knockouts in 11 wins, having been picked as a fighter with star potential by British boxing bigwig Hearn. Cullen, who won the English title in May in front of a raucous home crowd at the Whites Hotel, has followed a different path up the rankings but is ready to make the whole 160lb division sit up and take notice.

“He goes on about how I’ve not fought anybody anywhere near his level,” Cullen said. “But he’s not fought anybody at my level.”

“If anything he’s had it easier. I’ve started at the bottom and been working hard to sell tickets from day one.

“I’m winning the Commonwealth title. I’m not going home without it.

“Felix Cash is a good opponent and will be the best I’ve faced.

Cullen with trainer Tommy Battel. Picture: Karen Priestley

“But the better the opponent is the better I get. I think I’ve showed that already.”

Having shared sparring rounds with the likes of former world champion Liam Smith, British champion Scott Fitzgerald and top prospect Anthony Fowler, Cullen has been hard at work with Battel at Metro ABC.

While acknowledging Cash will pose the stiffest test of his career thus far, he says the main focus has been on bringing the best ‘Little Lever Meat Cleaver’ to the party on Saturday night.

“I’ve had a good camp,” Cullen said.

“We’ve been working on stuff that Felix Cash is going to do.

“But it’s about what I’m good at, at the end of the day.

“It’s all been about me improving and getting stronger, faster, quicker.

“I’ve seen stuff on him and we’ve got a few things we’ve worked on but it’s about me boxing at my best and I know that will be more than enough to beat Felix Cash.

“There’s no need for a super gameplan.

“You will see the best Jack Cullen on Saturday night.”

Another Matchroom and Sky appearance means being in the spotlight ahead of stepping through the ropes this weekend, something Cullen is increasingly relishing.

“I’m really enjoying all the build-up,” he said.

“It’s a big show when you get on the Matchroom cards.

“With the first one I was nervous, really scared to be honest. But I’m getting used it and I’ve got a public workout, press conference and weigh-in to come.

“People asked me about being on TV but it gave me a buzz and I wanted it more.

“That side of things didn’t make me get nervous. Obviously everyone gets nervous for a fight. It’s all about how you can control it and if you can, it can really work for you.”