WHEN Lawrence Bennett fought for the Southern Area title he had to give tickets away for people to go and watch him fight.

And that became something of a running joke for the self-styled Bad Boy when he made the defence of his crown in March.

His opponent that night, Jamie Hearn, made constant reference to the fact that Bennett ‘had no fans’ and even enlisted the help a Z-list celebrity, the Wealdstone Raider, for a video in the build up to the York Hall clash.

The now 33-year-old’s response to Hearn was simple: "I’ve got no fans, but I can fight."

If former MMA man Hearn didn’t believe Bennett then, he found out the hard way when they got in the ring as the Swindon cruiserweight was on his way home victorious after just 103 brutal seconds.

But as Bennett makes the step up again on Saturday night when he faces Matty Askin for the English title, there will be a few more people backing him as he returns to the famous Bethnal Green venue.

“When I won the Southern Area title (in March 2014) I didn’t sell any tickets, I had six complementary tickets and I gave them away to friends,” Bennett said.

“Now on Saturday night there will be well over 100 people in the York Hall cheering me and that is unbelievable and I can’t thank people enough.

“I feel lucky, I’m fighting for the English title, I have got more than 100 fans travelling to the York Hall and I’m fighting a live, live opponent in Matty Askin.

“I keep saying I don’t know how good I am, but on Saturday night we will find out - I’m going to win the English title.

“I have not been this excited for a fight for a long time. I’m usually nervous and apprehensive.

“But there is no pressure on me, if you were a betting man you wouldn’t be betting on me, I’m the underdog once again, but every time I go out there and perform – I shock people.”

A former schoolboy hurdler, Bennett got into boxing late in life and was supposed to be a journeyman fighter, someone who could be called on at a moment’s notice to travel the country and take on the up-and-coming prospects.

But in his sixth fight, on the back of his only professional defeat against Courtney Richards, Bennett became the Southern Area champion. The Jamaican-born southpaw then faced the highly-rated, but temperamental, Chris Keane in a British title eliminator in June 2014.

That fight may not have set the world alight as a contest, but Bennett was smart, stayed out of the big-hitting Keane’s way and took a split-decision with some intelligent jabs.

Then Bad Boy, who claims he will change his nickname to the Cinderella Man if he wins on Saturday, left Swindon promoter and manager Keith Mayo and joined up with the ever-growing Goodwin Promotions.

Bennett successfully defended his Southern Area with a first-round stoppage of Hearn in March and now he finally gets to test himself against the English champion.

“A year ago I was struggling to get a fight on a Swindon show and I was the Southern Area champion,” Bennett said.

“Now I’m fighting Matty Askin at the York Hall for the English title. I was talking to my manager (Steve Goodwin) the other day about the plan we set out for us in the first year and we have surpassed that.”