Hi everybody,

It’s great to be back in touch with you since I wrote my last blog, albeit through this form of communication. Such a lot has happened since I fought Spada it’s hard to know where to begin.

The biggest news for me though is that I’ll be fighting Sergio Martinez in Atlantic City for the Middleweight World Title on October 1st. This is a dream come true for me and a shot a becoming the World’s best is something that I’ve been aiming for since I started boxing as an amateur. The fact that I’m taking Martinez on is all down to Eddie Hearn who, believe it or not, arranged the fight in 20 minutes using Twitter!

I flew out to New York with Eddie a few weeks ago for a pre-fight press conference and I was bowled over by the reception I got from the Americans. Everyone I met out there seems as keen as I am to get the fight under way and personally I can’t wait. Martinez came across as a decent and likeable guy but that won’t stop me doing my best to beat him in the ring and take his title from him.

As I write, I’m up in Sheffield with my trainer Tony Sims and I’m training alongside the Great Britain boxing squad. It takes me back to days when I was fighting in the Commonwealth Games and if I can be an inspiration to some of the people up here I’ll be more than pleased.

The downside is that I’m missing my family, especially my partner Gem and our beautiful daughter Scarlett Rose Despite that, I’m working hard and concentrating on getting super fit and in the right condition for the Martinez fight and I’m sure that when I win that, the time I spend away from my loved ones will be well worth it.

See you soon you lot, I’ll update this blog in a few days time.