Let's see where bravado goes for gutsy Sam

The Midlands welterweight champion steps through the ropes with former Commonwealth boss Denton Vassell at the Manchester Arena on Saturday night, live on Sky Sports.

No belts will be on the line but, with eliminator status tagged to the bout, it's expected to produce the next contender to Frankie Gavin's Lonsdale a strap, writes Craig Birch.

Vassell has already been in there with Gavin once, losing his Commonwealth crown last year by seventh round stoppage, the doctor pulling him out with a broken jaw.

He should be used to the big fight arena by now but, then again, so should Eggington after a meteroic based on guts more than anything else.

The former Warley ABC prospect turned pro just three years ago, aged 18, with two national amateur titles but no big promoter behind him.

He's literally never said no once - traits promoters won't always when asking questions come across these days. Nerves should affect everyone at some stage, but Eggington is still waiting.

Trainer Jon Pegg said: "We got offered a couple of fights for this. They were all tough and Sam said yes to them all, even one at light middleweight. No problem. He's ready to fight.

"I couldn't get him into training in every session, but with this one he's switched on and been in the gym properly.

"He's only young but this is the right fight for him, he's go to fight at the level he is at regardless of his age, and this is the level he is at right now.

"If he wins this, he's right in the mix. It's a gamble and a tough fight, but win it and he's right up there and every fight after that it's a big fight."

What most insiders already knew when he turned over was that he was as tough as they come - he could take anyone's best shot and still keep coming forward.

Tomorrow's founders of the feast, Matchroom Boxing, found that out for themselves when they hastily rushed Eggington into Prizefighter, after just three pro contests.

At 19, he was the youngster fighter to compete in the tournament, eclipsing Patrick Mendy by exactly six months. Fearless wasn't the word.

He didn't make past the first hurdle, losing on points to Dale Evans, who clubbed him with a right hook that should have smashed through a wall. It seems impossible to hurt the kid.

Fast forward 18 months and Eggington has come on leaps and bounds, standing tall as the reigning area champion with a record since that shows he takes one in two people out.

He's flattened fellow local hopefuls, reappeared in Prizefighter and gone one better to the last four. His one win in the competition came in pressure cooker circumstances.

Most were wondering how he would get out alive should he dare to win his opening contest, with Millwall's mob in attendance to cheer on Johnny Garton.

Completely undaunted, Eggington stopped him in the second. Will be that be enough blood and guts to defeat a seasoned operator like Vassell?

Maybe, maybe not, but you can bet a gusty 'Sam the Man' will try and find out.

He said: "It's a tough fight, but that's what I want. I have been boxing on any show my promoter Jon gives me. Home shows, Prizefighter a couple of times, I jump at the chance.

"I boxed in Manchester last time against William Warburton, that was after the second Prizefighter when they wanted to take another look before offering me a big fight and that's fine.

"It was hard to get back in the gym, after that, because I wanted the limelight with the cameras and so on.

"I went back training and had another fight at Villa Park in June, which was a good work out. I had Lewis van Poetsch and stopped him in two.

"Luckily enough, I get the call that I was going to be on this show. When these sort of opportunities come along, you have to be ready to take them.

"Denton lost last time out to Frankie Gavin and broke his jaw in that one, so he's coming to get back into winning ways in good fashion.

"I don't know whether he's going to try to knock me out, or he could he be cautious as he had a broken jaw?

"I am just concentrating on my own stuff and I know it will be a good fight, either way.

"It's great to be boxing on a Matchroom show and Barry Hearn and I had a chat the other day on the phone.

"He likes me and that's a good feeling. He's given me some good advice and he's a nice guy who has seen it all."

Vassell will argue he's been a fighting champion when he's held the initiative, as three successful defences of his Commonwealth honours would imply.

It's his 30th birthday tonight and he's tge home-town hero, so no pressure. But the like-able Mancunian, not one to badmouth or trash talk, is quietly confident this is not a gamble that will blow up in his face.

He said: "It's my opportunity to show the fans that I am still here. I'm hungrier than ever and I'm very confident.

"I've had to take the time to let the jaw heal, you are going to get caught in sparring so it had to be 110 per cent right so that I could get back training at full pelt.

"As soon as I left the hospital, though, I was back doing 10 mile runs and it's made me hungrier, being a champion is about bouncing back from defeats.

"I have to concentrate on Sam now. He comes to fight and he's a tough lad, that's something that I need at this point in time.

"It's a big fight in my back garden and it's an exciting fight for the fans too. I live in the gym and I am really confident, I've been working on new things, so let's see what happens."