Meet the other British boxer who plans to steal the show on Fabio Wardley vs Daniel Dubois undercard

All eyes will be on Fabio Wardley vs Daniel Dubois when the British heavyweight titans come to blows on May 9.

But Manchester’s own Bradley Rea is determined to give the crowd their money’s worth long before the main event stars enter the ring.

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“That’s my mentality every time I fight and especially when I’m on these big shows with massive names and great match-ups,” Rea told talkSPORT.com ahead of his fight on the Queensberry show.

Rea faces Liam Cameron for the WBA Light Heavyweight Inter-Continental title on the undercard of Wardley vs Dubois.

The 28-year-old former European champion has lost just twice in his 23-fight, eight-year career, suffering his most recent defeat to former Commonwealth title holder Lyndon Arthur last November.

“I want everyone to be leaving that arena speaking about me,” Rea told talkSPORT.com.

“It’s a tough task when you’re in the mix with these lads, but that’s the impression that I want. 

“For Liam and me, stylistically, it’s probably the best match-up. It’s probably the most fun and entertaining match-up you’re going to get.

“And it’s only going to go one way. At some point, this fight is going to catch fire — I’m very excited.”

Rea recognises real

Rea faces a formidable test in Cameron, who got back to winning ways in his last fight against Troy Jones, fresh off a two-fight, career-exploding rivalry with Ben Whittaker.

But ‘The Sting’ knows exactly what he’s up against, and what a win over the 35-year-old Sheffield veteran would do for his own journey in the sweet science.

“Liam has shown the level he’s at,” Rea added.

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“With the first Whittaker fight, he’s shown what he can do.

“Whittaker is one of the hottest prospects in world boxing, the way he’s been talked about.

“We’ve all seen how that first fight went. You’ve seen what Liam can do.

“Beating him would be a big statement, and it would catapult me forward, and it would get me back in them big fights.

“That’s my job at the end of the day. I don’t just need to beat him. I need to do it in a fashion which is going to get people talking.”

The Hatton effect

On his rise to boxing’s summit, Rea was mentored by British boxing legend Ricky Hatton, who sadly passed away aged 46 in September.

He was inspired by ‘The Hitman’ to take up boxing from a young age, and the pair soon formed a tight bond, with Hatton eventually becoming part of Rea’s corner team.

Rea, who honoured Hatton’s legacy with an emotional ring walk before fighting Arthur, said he regularly discussed big fight nights in Manchester with his mentor, who always believed he could reach the top.

“I always remember the first time I boxed at Manchester Arena when I was on at about 5:30pm, undercard, there were about a hundred people in there,” Rea said of his conversations with Hatton.

“But just before I went out, I remember he said to me, ‘I was there once upon a time, the way you’re feeling now, I was there, this is where I started.’

“He was like, ‘Nothing’s stopping you getting to where I got to, you’re on the same path, you’ve just got to do what you’ve got to do.

“And I remember thinking he’s right, everyone’s got to start somewhere, and he started from the same position as me.

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“It was nice to know that he did have that belief and he believed that I could go on to do something and as I say, be one of them Manchester fighters, which he flew the flag for.”

On fighting in Manchester, Rea concluded: “I love it — there’s nothing better than walking out in your hometown, hearing that noise is class.

“It’s what I live for. I live for that. I think the type of fighter I am, the fights I’m in, I’m entertaining.

“The fans know that I fight with my heart, honestly, and I’m not ducking or diving anyone.

“I want to be in these big fights, and boxing fans appreciate that. I’m starting to get a bit of a following now and people are wanting to come and watch me, so it’s nice.

“They appreciate everything that I gave and everything I sacrificed.”

Boxing schedule

For all the upcoming fights and results this year, check out talkSPORT.com’s  boxing schedule.