McDermott welcomes title chance
by Ciaran Baynes, 15 May 2008
John McDermott is confident he can upset the odds and defeat Danny Williams when the two meet to contest the British heavyweight championship on July 14 in Dagenham.
McDermott previously lost a British title challenge being stopped in one round by Matt Skelton, but feels he is a different fighter now after six consecutive wins, which has included wins over highly-ranked domestic opponents Scott Gammer and Pele Reid.
His trainer CJ Hussein described the bout as being a "master against a pupil", but both he and his charge are confident they will end the bout holding the coveted Lonsdale belt.
Although they have not yet worked on a fight plan, McDermott (25-3-16) insists he belongs in the same ring as Williams who needs this victory to break Henry Cooper's record of successful British and Commonwealth defences.
"I've earned the chance to fight Danny," McDermott told setantasports.com. "I've trained hard and fought hard, It's big for me.
"I don't know what's happening [regarding fight plans] yet. We haven't sat down and put together a game plan yet.
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"With Pele Reid I could have done it in the first round, but we just knew that he was a big puncher who comes out at you in the first round.
"So I thought I'd get through that and looked slow, so I jumped on him."
The two sparred when McDermott was a young professional and the challenger admits that Williams was the boss in those days.
"I learned about getting hit," McDermott said about these early sessions.
"He gave me a boxing lesson but I'm a better fighter now and I honestly think I'll win."