By Matt Bevan

Rotherham’s Lee Appleyard has been handed a huge opportunity, as he will face Sean Dodd on away ground for the vacant Commonwealth lightweight title at the Echo Arena on Saturday.

Appleyard, whose record stands at 10-2 (4 KOs), will be entering the ring in Liverpool for the biggest fight of his career so far, but he won’t let the occasion and the crowd get to him as he believes that Dodd’s style will play into his hands.

The 29-year-old is confident that ‘Masher’ won’t have faced anyone like him before, as well having the benefit of his stablemate Andy Townend’s experience of facing the Birkenhead man. Townend stopped Dodd back in 2014.

Appleyard told ‘Scene: “I’m buzzing that I have got this fight. Sean is tough, but he won’t have faced anyone as tall, rangy and strong as me. He’ll put it all on the line, but he’s wild and that will fall nicely into my hands.

“I never thought I’d be in this situation, so I’m going to soak it all up and enjoy it. It’s a chance for both of us to be in line for some major titles, so I’m expecting his very best [and know that] a loss for him presents a really hard route back to these sort of fights.

“Of course, my gym-mate Andy Townend has already beaten him, so he’s been giving me some pointers and I’ll use it all to my advantage. I’ve worked hard to get where I am, considering I only turned over to have a go and it’s been so much better than I ever anticipated. You get out what you put in and I’m ready for this.”

Appleyard trains under Stefy Bull, who is developing a talented stable in his Yorkshire gym, while he is also managed by Dave Coldwell, another highly regarded figure in British boxing.

And Appleyard believes his team’s experiences can only set him in good stead.

The Rotherham man enters the fight off the back of a revenge points victory over Adam Hague in March, avenging his first defeat in the pro ranks. He is also under no illusion that it could be a hard night as he travels to his opponent’s backyard, especially if it goes to the scorecards.

“Stefy has brought me on loads and brings more out of me than others have in the past. He picks up on my little mistakes and adjust them there and then, as does Ray Doyle, who is just as important. They have flown under the radar a bit, but I personally can’t thank them enough.

“With both of them in my corner, as well as Dave, I can draw on their experience, as they all know what I’m thinking. They’ve been there and done it and are helping not make some of the mistakes that they might have made during their careers.

“It’ll be a hard fight, especially as I’m the away fighter and if it goes to the cards, I’m not daft and I know he’ll get it if it’s close. I can’t let that happen, but I’m not saying that I’ll blast him away. I’ll take it a round at a time, pick the pace up when I have to and listen to Stefy to take it out of the judges’ hands altogether.”