COVENTRY fighter Dylan Cheema insists he is “in it to win it” when he competes in the BOXXER Series tournament at the Skydome Arena this weekend.
Cheema grew up in Tile Hill, which is just 10 minutes away from Saturday’s venue, and puts his 2-0 record on the line against seven other lightweights, five of which are unbeaten.
The Coventry man is a former two-weight world kickboxing champion at lightweight and super lightweight and made his professional boxing debut in October last year.
With two points wins under his belt, Cheema now hopes to use the BOXXER platform to kickstart his career and feels he brings a unique style to the ring.
Cheema said: “I’m fully confident – you don’t enter a tournament unless you’re going to win.
“We’re in it to win it, we put the work in, it’s been tough, it’s been hard but we’re there win and make a statement, it’s been a long camp but we’re ready now.
“The first thing they’re going to see is my exciting style, I bring a style to the ring that is a little bit unique, coming from my kickboxing background, they’re going to see something different.
“They’re also going to see my Indian drummers, my daul players, that’s going to bring another level of excitement, raise the roof a little bit higher and bring that atmosphere and energy into the Arena on Saturday.
“I want to win the tournament and look to what is next, I’m going to have to win the tournament first and foremost but then I’m looking to win a Midlands title soon after as well.”
And Cheema has been drawn against Otis Lookham in the quarter-finals with his opponent having won his only fight to date by way of TKO last month.
However, Cheema insists he is confident of performing in his first fight in front of a home crowd and hopes to win a British title in the future.
Cheema added: “We’ve had a good six-week training camp for this, I can’t really argue or complain about how training has gone, it’s just absolutely flown by, the six weeks have gone really fast but we’ve trained really hard.
“I’m fully confident in what I’m going to do and how I’m going to progress in the tournament, I’ve been competing for 16 years, it’s the first time in my hometown, it’s a massive achievement for me.
“It gives me that extra buzz and that extra bit between my teeth because I’ve got to perform being in my hometown.
“Tile Hill was sound, my family have got two businesses there, I spent all my life there, it’s home for me, being only 10 minutes from the venue is new to me, it’s on my doorstep.
“I want to get the tournament out of the way and then progress, I want to win a Midlands title, I want to win a British title and we all want to win a World title.”
The action unfolds at 8pm on Saturday, April 16 at the Skydome Arena.
The final few tickets can be purchased from https://www.boxxer.com/tickets/
