Haskins fights for European title on Saturday with world title hopes on the line

Lee Haskins takes on Omar Lamiri for the vacant European bantamweight championship this Saturday night at the Salle des Etoiles in Monte Carlo, on the undercard of the world middleweight title fight between champion Gennardy Golovin and British challenger Martin Murray.

Golovkin vs Murray Press Conference (video)

The 31-year-old Bristol man has already held the same European title and he is also a former Commonwealth belt holder and two weight British champion. Haskins is one of British boxing’s finest boxers and has not always got the credit he deserves. Since losing the European title to Stephan Jamoye in 2012 he is unbeaten in 4 fights and a win on Saturday against Lamiri would set him up for the one honour he craves, a world title.

Now ranked in the top 15 by all four of the major world sanctioning bodies, Haskins can afford no slip ups against the 25 year old Frenchman as he enters the twilight years of his life and after 33 pro fights and a record haul as good as he has, he is one British boxer who deserves to test his fantastic skills on the world stage, now is the time!

Haskins is determined to not let his chance slip now and has promised to get the win and also put on a show that befits his surroundings when he makes his debut in one of the continent’s most glamorous fight venues.

“I’m made up to be part of an event like this one in Monte Carlo,” Haskins told the Bristol Post.

“I always knew I was going to fight for the European title again because I’m the number one contender, but the venue was a big surprise to me. A good one, too.

“I’m looking forward to seeing Monte Carlo. It’s supposed to be a really nice place and I’ve heard lots about it. It should be a great experience.

“I’m also a big fan of Gennady Golovkin. I’ve watched a few of his fights over the years and it will be a privilege to box on one of his shows.”

“I haven’t seen anything in Lamiri to worry me too much,” he said. “He’s had a couple of good wins over a couple of good fighters, but he’s still a bit of an unknown quantity.

“He hasn’t really looked spectacular. It will be good to see what he can do on the night. I just think I’ll be too strong for him.

“I’m very powerful at the weight, and I’ll be too awkward, too quick and have too many tools for him. I’ll be better than him in every department.

“They all say the same thing: ‘we’ve watched Lee box and we’ve worked him out’. But there’s no way of working me out. Even I don’t know what I’m going to do until I get in there. Fair play to them if they work me out, but I wouldn’t count on it.”