LAWRENCE Bennett will have to return to the scene of his Southern Area title success to defend the belt he won last March.

The Swindon cruiserweight has been ordered to face former MMA star Jamie Hearn with the 10-round contest, likely to be in March, taking place at the Ring Club in Southwark, the venue where the 32-year-old defeated Jack Morris to claim the vacant crown.

Despite the intimate size of the venue, the self-styled Bad Boy says that he no qualms of going up against a former foe of ex-light-heavyweight world champion Chad Dawson, who has been made Bennett’s mandatory challenger.

“It is not ideal, it would have been nice to have a little more control, but his team won the purse bids,” said Bennett, who is now managed by Steve Goodwin.

“But I’m not worried, I have been there before and won there before.”

Hearn in his last outing stopped a fading Larry ‘The War Machine’ Olubamiwo at heavyweight in just one round yet he appeared to be a crude swinging puncher which a coy Bennett feels will play into his hands.

“He is a puncher, he swings a lot and he did stop Larry, but he (Olubamiwo) has become a journeyman these days,” the Islan Eltuyev-trained Bennett added.

“But they said Jack Morris was a puncher, and he couldn’t get near me. Chris Keane (who Bennett defeated in a British title eliminator in the summer) was definitely a puncher and he couldn’t get near me.

“So I must be doing something right, these so-called punchers can’t hurt you if they can’t connect.

“I have been working hard in the gym, doing a lot of strength and conditioning work, I know that I can win.

“Yes, he has been in some good guys, but he has lost to them, all the good guys I have been in I have beaten.

“Chad Dawson is one of my favourite fighters, that is why I’m the Bad Boy, and he showed how it was done against him.”