Lyndon Arthur has a target on his back, but he isn’t about to hide from the world’s top Light-Heavyweights.
‘King’ Arthur (18-0, 12 KOs) makes the first defence of his WBO Inter-Continental title against Italian champion, Davide Faraci (15-0, 7 KOs) at London’s Royal Albert Hall on Saturday July 10, live on BT Sport.
It’s the Manchester man’s first fight since a narrow points win against Anthony Yarde last December, that earned Arthur number one spot in the WBO rankings.
If Arthur keeps winning he will get a crack at WBO champion Joe Smith early next year, but Faraci and Yarde who is chasing a quick rematch fancy their chances of his precious top spot.
“It’s a world title for Faraci and any of these guys who want to face me because they want my number one ranking,” said Arthur who is also Commonwealth champion.
“There is no pressure now that I am number one in the WBO rankings.
“The goal has always been the same, whether I am ranked number ten or number one. The goal has always been to win a world title.
“Faraci has got a decent record to be fair. He has beaten some undefeated kids and a few had winning records.
“He is coming to win and doesn’t know how to lose. I have to show him how to lose so I am excited for the fight.”
Smith will be due to make a mandatory defence early next year, but looks certain to have at least one more defence before the WBO order the fight.
Arthur, 30, who is also top ten ranked by the IBF and WBC added: “Joe Smith is the man I want because he has the world title right now. There is talk of him fighting Daniel Jacobs and if he won then he is the man to beat.
“Smith is good, tough, rugged and comes to fight but I believe I am better than him as I’m supposed to.
“I just have to keep winning and the big chance will come. I will be the mandatory and the WBO champion will have to fight me.”
Ilford’s Yarde (20-2, 19 KOs) who lost a split decision against Arthur also returns on next month’s bill and faces unbeaten German Emin Atra (17-0, 12 KOs) in a non-title ten rounder.
He says there is a contract for the Yarde rematch and wants that soon, but Arthur says: “We will see what happens with the Yarde rematch. I don’t know too much about it and I am not fussed about it.
“I want a world title fight more than anything. There is no rush for it, but I will fight anyone.
Also on the bill WBO ranked number one Super-Middleweight Zach Parker (20-0, 14 KO’s) will defend his WBO International belt against Uzbek Sherzod Khusanov (22-2-1, 10 KOs).
WBO ranked number four Super-Featherweight, Archie Sharp (19-0, 9 KOs) faces Nicaragua’s Marcio Soza (21-6-2, 12 KOs) with the vacant WBO Global championship on the line.
Prodigious bantamweight talent Dennis McCann (9-0, 5 KOs) faces Tanzanian John Chuwa (20-4, 10 KOs).
Elsewhere on the card, 2016 Olympian Muhammad Ali (2-0) will have his third professional assignment against Lee Glover (11-4, 3 KOs), with Lightweight KO-artist Sam Noakes (5-0, 5 KOs) and Light-Heavyweight former Olympic Youth champion Karol Itauma (2-0, 1 KO) also featuring.
