Cello out to prove he's definitely not on the way down

Renda meets Ben Wilkes in an eliminator for the English middleweight championship at Birmingham’s Genting Arena on Saturday, March 5.

The scheduled 10-round clash will be screened live on Sky Sports and for a change, Renda goes into a fight as the favourite.

Wilkes, from Wolverhampton, has beaten only journeymen in a 10-fight career (nine wins) spread over seven years, while Renda is a veteran gunslinger with 39 fights on his record.

Wilkes - and his knowledgeable manager Errol Johnson - have decided that at 29, it’s time to roll the dice and that Renda is possibly on the way down.

Renda disagrees and insists there’s only one winner of the fight.

The 30 year old said: “He’s only ever fought journeymen before - and now he thinks he can beat me.

“It’s not happening.

“I’m not losing to him. He won’t see the 10th round.

“They probably think I haven’t got much left, but when he gets in there with me and feels my jab he’s going to realise I’ve got plenty left and it’s going to be a tough night.

“He hasn’t got my experience. He hasn’t been through what I’ve been through.

“I’ve fought British champions and world-title contenders and have had fights where I could only see out of one eye and been swallowing blood.

“I’ve seen everything there is to see in a boxing ring - and he hasn’t.

“I haven’t got an unbeaten record, but look who I’ve fought.

“I’m an old-school fighter. I fight anyone.

“He may say he’s sure he can beat me, but deep down, he knows he can’t. He will give it his all because he has everything to gain and I have everything to lose.

“There’s pressure on me, but I’m used to pressure and I thrive on it.

“It’s great to be on a big show again. I can’t get up for six rounders any more. At this stage of my career, I need fights like this to get me fired up and I’m sure that if I perform, Eddie Hearn will put me on his shows again.”

Renda says Hearn gave him a warm welcome at last week’s press conference.

“Eddie said he was glad to have me on his show,” said Renda. “He says I always bring excitement and that’s what he wants on his shows.

“Eddie says he’s trying to convince Anthony Joshua to have the same entrance music I have (‘Dangerous’ by Conroy Smith). He loves that tune !”

Renda hopes beating Wilkes will lead to a shot at either the British or Commonwealth titles.

Nick ‘Bang Bang’ Blackwell is the British champion, while Tommy Langford and Lewis Taylor contest the vacant Commonwealth strap in a good fight in Liverpool on Saturday, March 12.

Renda was set to spar Langford this week and added: “Winning this fight could open a lot of doors for me, but I’m not looking beyond Wilkes.”

Renda says tickets are selling well and they are available from 07947-106116.