Jeffries is set to make his hometown professional debut

Sunderland boxer Tony Jeffries insists he is in good shape ahead of his next fight, regardless of who promoter Frank Maloney selects to face him.

The light-heavyweight will appear on the Sunderland bill of Ricky Hatton's fight with Manny Pacquiao but is yet to discover the identity of his opponent.

"I'm fit, strong and I'm confident," he told BBC Radio Newcastle.

"Whoever Frank gets for us I'm sure I'll overcome. My first few fights are a learning curve."

Jeffries' first outing was February's explosive first-round stoppage of Belarussian Aliaksandr Vayavoda in Barnsley.

His follow-up fight will take place in Sunderland's Crowtree Leisure centre, a venue famous for the exploits of local fighter Billy Hardy in the 1970s, and promoter Maloney has even mentioned the home of Sunderland AFC, the Stadium of Light as a future proposition.

And proud Wearsider Jeffries believes the return of live fights to the city will help increase the profile of the sport in the region as a whole.

"The Stadium of Light would be great, but that's a few years down the line for a world-title fight," he said.

"Until then the Crowtree Leisure Centre will sell out and it's a great opportunity for people from Sunderland to watch a great night of boxing.

"It's one of the biggest nights of boxing Sunderland's ever had."

The bout, against an as yet unnamed opponent, will take place at Sunderland's Crowtree Leisure Centre on Saturday, 2 May.

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