By Craig Lowe BBC Radio Merseyside

Smith won the featherweight division at the 2006 Commonwealth Games

Liverpool's Stephen Smith has said he is confident of taking John Simpson's Commonwealth featherweight title when the pair meet in Glasgow.

The 25-year-old meets Greenock's Simpson at Kelvin Hall on 4 September.

"It doesn't matter how many Scottish people are cheering him on," Smith told BBC Radio Merseyside.

"They can't get in and help him. And if he's sitting on the seat of his pants in the middle of the ring, there's not much they can shout."

Smith is fighting for his maiden professional title in only his eleventh fight in professional ranks, while reigning champion Simpson has mixed in championship class for six years and previously held the British featherweight title.

But despite the gulf in experience, Smith remains adamant he is ready for the step up in class.

"I didn't want to hang around boxing journeymen for twenty fights," he said.

"I think he's perfect for me, if I wanted a style to look good against, it's John Simpson," Smith continued.

"I'll look good in doing it. Obviously he's going to make me work hard and it's going to be a physically demanding fight but that's what all the preparation is for."

For his part, 27-year-old Simpson admitted he would not be taking Smith lightly, but added that he sees victory as an opportunity to step into the void in Scottish Boxing that was left by former World Champion Scott Harrison.

I think he's perfect for me, if I wanted a style to look good against it's John Simpson Stephen Smith

"Ricky Burns is fighting for the WBO title (World Boxing Organisation), the one that Scott Harrison had, and that will bring more shows back up to Scotland," Simpson said.

"And I've been at domestic level for a few years now so I really want to move up a level."

Smith was one of the most decorated amateurs of his generation winning Commonwealth Gold and European Bronze.

He narrowly missed out on qualification for the Beijing Olympics and as a consequence, while his friends James DeGale and Frankie Gavin have had national exposure, Smith has not received such attention since turning professional.

But he maintained he is now ready to announce his arrival to a wider audience.

"It (failing to qualify for the Beijing Olympics) is still an itch in my mind," Smith said.

"They're all good lads and they will go far, the same as myself.

"I've proved I'm at those levels by getting to a Commonwealth title fight in ten fights."

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