Final shot at super heavy for Lloyd Ransome

The punching physiotherapist, who competes for Rugeley Police Boxing Club, is planning to get the job done against Jamie Tshikeva on Sunday.

They step through the ropes at over 91kg in Class A, for boxers who have had two to 10 fights, at the Rainton Meadows Arena in County Durham.

Ransome reached the semi-finals of the competition last time out, losing to George Groves' sparring partner Luke Watkins over the distance.

With that elusive title now in sight, the 24-year-old from Hednesford may join the heavyweight ranks when his campaign is complete.

He said: "I've had a chat with my coaches and they think the best thing for me to do is drop down after this, I am floating around at 90kg and I end up trying to put weight on.

"I will be going up a class soon because of the amounts I have had, anyway, but it's unfinished business for me in this section. It would mean a lot to me and to the club itself.

"I wanted to go one better than the semis last year - now I am after two more. I lost to the better fighter last year, he was a sharp and crisp boxer who has turned pro now.

"I would like to think it's my turn now, I have trained hard and I feel ready."

Ransome has been dwarfed by both of his opponents since the area stages, but proved skill beats power in both instances with a boxing master-class to go through on points.

He even sent Sebastian Brown, from Far Cotton in Northampton, crashing down from a right uppercut in the first round of the quarter-finals.

The biggest adversary of all came in the semi-finals against man mountain Dean Johnson, from Northside in Manchester, whose mammoth frame absorbed all of his best shots.

Yet Ransome again stayed out of trouble and progressed through to set up his final meeting with Tshikeva, from White Hart Lane in London.

He said: "This lad's going to be a lot heavier than me, but I should be used to that by now. The bigger they are, the harder they fall.

"I must have given over 20kg away to the other lad last weekend, I came in at 94.6kg and he looked about 125kg. He was hard to deal with, so I just kept it nice and tight.

"I can't trade with the bigger lads, so I box on the back-foot with speed and skill. I got my shots in when I could and won all of the rounds.

"I hit him with everything I had, but he had a cracking chin on him. If I had caught most people with those punches, it might have been stopped."

The national finals go on without Rugeley club-mate Steven Smith, who will looking to take a leaf out of Ransome's book next time around.

He lost a razor-thin split decision to Halliwell's Tom Barlow in the last four, which was decided by one point after two judges had it all square.

A compelling brawl lit up the 69kg section in Class B - fighters from 11 to 20 bouts - with Smith fresh after two straight walk overs.