Meager aiming to follow in Froch's footsteps

BY DANNY GRIFFITHS

Last updated at 11:43 01 December 2006


Lee Meager has got that winning feeling ahead of his British lightweight title defence against mandatory contender Jon Thaxton next weekend.

The 28-year-old is surrounded by success as a member of Hennessy Sports as he trains alongside fellow domestic super-middleweight champion Carl Froch and British light-welterweight title-holder Lenny Daws under trainer Robert McCracken.

Other squad members include WBC light-welterweight champion Junior Witter, WBC youth lightweight champion John Murray and Commonwealth Games gold medallist and now Southern Area middleweight king Darren Barker.

"There’s a great buzz within the team at the moment," said Meager.

"I see it in the gym every day. Everyone is up because of the success we’ve been having.

"The squad we have is outstanding. I am getting the best sparring in the country. It’s good to train alongside hungry, winning fighters because it makes for a winning mentality.

"It’s like when Carl knocked out Tony Dodson on Friday night. Seeing that - seeing the credit he got - lifts you to do it as well. You think: 'I want a bit of that'.

Meager boxes Thaxton at the Goresbrook Leisure Centre in Dagenham on Friday and he added: "I’m a fighter on the way up. I’m the champion and I’m bang in form.

"I know a lot of people see this as a 50-50 fight. I know there are people who think I am the underdog, but that’s because they have been taken in by the talk around Thaxton.

"Even though I am a British champion, people still don’t realise what I am capable of. I’m planning to shock them next week.

"Things are going right for me at the moment. I’m in the shape of my life and I’m on a run with the rest of my team. Thaxton’s not going to end that."

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