Fighting Richar Abril in Liverpool on March 6
When you first lace your gloves up as a 10 or 11-year-old kid in the gym, when you’re watching Rocky films, when you go on a run, you wanna become a world champion. Abril’s the best in the world and I’m in this game to fight the best. But he’s coming to my city in front of my crowd and I think the roof in the Echo Arena is going to come off that night, not just me but the whole lot of us.

If you believe in yourself you can beat anyone who’s out there. Anyone who’s got a few defeats, you only have to look at my record and I’m there, fighting for a world title in my own city. Frank Warren, my team and my trainer all believe in me. I hope the crowd really get behind me and the place can be bouncing, really really noisy.

Two of his defeats
I got beat by Gavin Rees but I boxed the best Gavin Rees available. He got told if he beat me he’d be fighting Adrien Broner for a lot of money and a world title. That give him an extra boost. I got beaten by a world-class fighter and I thought I was winning but I got hit with a daft shot.

I broke me hand in the second round against Stephen Ormond and had an operation the next day. But I don’t make excuses, Stephen performed on the night and I didn’t. To be honest, me own little lad would have beaten me on that night. I didn’t turn up, I didn’t do the weight properly – I’ve had a bollocking since off Danny – but if I’m beat I’m beat by a better man and fight night, Stephen Ormond was the better man. Hopefully he goes on and wins a world title, I win one and we have a double-header.

Learning from the Ormond reverse
I believed in me own hype, me own power, but now I know that boxing ability’s gonna win fights. The best fighters don’t always get a knockout win, they can do everything and I’ve had to learn, since that fight, how to do everything. I beat [Martin] Gethin and [Adam] Dingsdale in back-to-back points victories by outboxing them. I’ve got to learn to box a bit more in this fight with Abril. I know I can punch and if I hurt him I’ll hurt him but I’ve gotta use me brain, be smart, be clever and I can come out a winner.

His new training base
I’m in the MGM Marbella, a world-class gym with world-class facilities. I’ve got me strength and conditioning trainer, ‘Taff’ [Jason Lowndes]. Me and Danny go to the running track at eight in the morning, then back in the gym in the afternoon, then right to Taff. Me last two fights, I’ve won two titles and they’re the only camps I’ve done in Marbella. The last two times I’ve boxed I’ve been able to have a breakfast before I’ve got on the scales, I’ve been able to eat the night before the weigh-in and that’s down to the people who I’ve got over here who are helping me go in the right direction.

His future
I love doing the pundit work, it’s something I want to carry on with when I finish boxing. I love being around fighters. I’ve got me own amateur club back at home and me own pro stable. I love boxing, it’s all I’ve known all me life. I want to get out healthy with a good brain and a business mind.

MATHEWS EXPLAINS WHY HE IS NOW BETTER THAN EVER AND DESERVES THIS WORLD TITLE CHANCE IN EXTENSIVE INTERVIEW IN THIS WEEK’S BOXING NEWS