THE days are ticking down, the training is intensifying, the anticipation is building, but Kieron Gething remains as cool as a cucumber ahead of his big fight night against Newcastle’s Basi Razaq.

For the first time Gething is topping the bill and for the first time a professional title is within his reach. Razaq is no journeyman and will be no walkover. He’s fought two more bouts than Gething, and the two fighters are close in the rankings. However, ambition is critical and as always, the winner will take it all.

And if winning is all about composure then Gething’s battle against Razaq at Llandarcy Academy of Sport is almost a done deal.

The mood is electric with positivity in the 24-year-old Welterweight’s camp and they definitely believe victory is on the cards for their man who has lost just one of his seven contest in the paid code.

Gething told the Chronicle, “We’ve looked more into him (Razaq) as the fight got closer and there’s definitely holes in his defence we’ve been working to exploit. I feel he won’t cope well with constant pressure. The camp has gone great, no injuries or anything like I’ve had in my last fights, we’ve had great sparring with Dan Barton of Newport, Commonwealth competitor Kyran Jones at the start and Jordan Thomas from Ebbw Vale right through.

“I’m feeling fantastic on weight and really ready for fight night.”

Victory on Saturday August 11 isn’t just about who gets their hands on the British Challenge Belt, there’s is a lot more on the the line than that when these two go toe to toe. It’s about who positions themselves in a prime position to have a crack at the Lonsdale.

Gething explained, “The thing about this belt is that you don’t defend it but win it and it boosts your ranking. Even if it isn’t an eliminator for the British title it will still put me in a good position going forward.”

And going forward is the name of the game for this up-and-comer. Gething is proving a force to be reckoned with and the power of momentum is definitely on his side. Has Razaq got what it takes to stop him in his tracks?

Abergavenny watches and Abergavenny waits.

Meanwhile, if you fancy some good old-fashioned pre-fight build-up, why not get yourself down to the David Pearce Statue on Newport riverfront, Friday August 10 at 6pm.

Gething and Razaq will be having a public weigh-in. And what better place to have it than in the presence of forgotten British champion David ‘Bomber’ Pearce. A man who fought hard and long for the Lonsdale belt and who has now been immortalized in bronze holding that prize aloft in perpetuity.