PADDY Fitzpatrick expects Ryan Martin to deliver a knockout performance tonight as he tops the bill at the MECA.

The 23-year-old makes the temporary switch up to super-welterweight tonight on Trifecta’s Back to the Future show.

Martin, who has not fought since his points loss to Michael McKinson for the WBC Youth world welterweight title in April, faces Georgian Nikoloz Gvajava.

And Martin’s trainer Fitzpatrick, who opened his gym 10 years ago, believes that his man can deliver the knockout blow.

“I don’t normally do this, but I expect Ryan to go out there and get the stoppage,” Fitzpatrick told the Advertiser.

“This is not a rebuilding fight for Ryan, this is a fight against a man who has fought Anthony Fowler, he has fought an Olympian.

“Ryan is without doubt one of the hottest UK prospects. If they talk about Josh Kelly, Anthony Yarde and the like of that - Ryan, for me, is right up there as one of the hottest prospects.”

Martin joined the Fitzpatrick stable last autumn after leaving Richard Farnan and the Ferndale Road-based trainer believes that he is finally getting the best out of his fighter “Ryan to me is world class. His record doesn’t show how powerful he is, he has really improved on his understanding of what I’m teaching.

“It has come together is this camp. When he came to me in October last year, I said it would probably take us a year to get the best out of each other.

“His record doesn’t reflect the class he has, the footwork, his positioning, the power - he can punch like a middleweight or even a super-middle and he is a welterweight.

“He is just a class act and by March next year, he will be in position we need him to be in to get him into significant fights.”

Also appearing on the show will be Martin’s stablemates Bec Connolly and Bronwyn Duff as they make their pro bows, while more of Fitzpatrick’s fighters David Bailey, Bradley Townend and Harry Webb will also be fighting.