Sykes leaving nothing to chance ahead of title fight

Sykes and his team travelled to Newport last Sunday to spar world title featherweight hopeful Lee Selby .

The Dewsbury man will also face super bantamweight Kid Galahad twice this week before returning to Wales for a second spar with Selby.

Trainer Julian McGowan believes it is this quality in training that will lead Sykes to glory in three weeks time.

McGowan said: “We want to keep Gary’s mind sharp and be sure he’s ready for any eventuality come fight night.

“Selby is a world class fighter, of that there is no doubt, but Gary held his own and confirmed what I knew — We haven’t yet seen the best of Sykes.

“It was an unbelievable spar, eight brutal rounds, and Selby’s team have invited us back next week for what will be Lee’s final spar before his world title eliminator fight.

“We will have had four quality sparring sessions in just eight days and that is how serious we are taking the Jonny Kays fight.

“We had a 400 mile round trip, leaving at 6am and returning at 5pm and we will be doing the same over the Bank Holiday.”

Sykes is also smashing his own records in the gym and at Spenborough running track, where he does his sprint work.

McGowan added: “Gary is so switched on and is the strongest he has ever been.

“I’m sure he has the right temperament to handle the pressures of what comes from fighting in front of your home crowd.”

While in Wales, Sykes took time to catch up with former rival Gary Buckland, the man who snatched the British title from his grasp in a thrilling fight in September 2011.

McGowan believes the Gary Sykes homecoming will be the hottest ticket in town as championship boxing comes to Dewsbury for the first time on May 24.

General admission tickets, priced £35, are available from Dewsbury Sports Centre, Modafones opposite Dewsbury market, Bar Deco, Bradford Road, Batley, or by contacting @GarySykesBoxer on Twitter.