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Next Saturday the fighter goes up against some of the best British and Irish middleweights in a winner-takes-all knockout competition with a £25,000 purse.

The show at the famous York Hall in Bethnal Green, east London, is part of a Sky TV special, Ricky and the Prizefighters.

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It will be shown live on Sky pay-per-view ahead of Ricky Hatton's Las Vegas clash with Paulie Malignaggi for the IBO's Light Welterweight title.

And while at 30 Danny may be one of the oldest competitors, the father-of-one believes his 41 fight-record (W26, L12, D3) will give him an edge over his less experienced opponents.

He said: "I'm hoping to win it. It would be the pinnacle of my career.
Peak
"I'm only 30 but I've got 41 fights under my belt since I turned pro when I was 18.

"I've trained as hard as I can for this competition – no drinking, no going out with my mates.

"So I will go into the ring knowing that I'm at my peak."

Danny, who lives in Armley, began boxing in his teens after joining Harry Pinkney's gym in Meanwood.

The former Central Area Title holder said: "I left Allerton High School at 15 and worked for my uncle's company McCarthy's Removals.
"I've always loved being fit and boxing seemed to be an extreme form of fitness and something I could excel at.

"I have seen the different side of boxing to somebody like Ricky Hatton though.

"I've got a family, including my daughter Jessica Anne, to support and I've set my own waste disposal business, Thorntons of Leeds, to make end meet.

"My partner Stacey has had to suffer my moods and being ratty when I'm training."

Right-hander Danny trains five days a week at Rebel's Gym above the New Wortley Conservative Club in Oldfield Lane to achieve his fighting weight of 11st 6lbs.

He has also bought the lease for the gym run by his manager, and former British Welterweight Champion, Derek 'The Rebel' Roche.

Trainer Rob Stevenson, 36, from Hull, said: "Derek and I boxed each other in 1993 as pros. I moved across here (Leeds) two years ago and we bumped into each other and the rest is history. It's a knockout competition of three fights: a quarter final; a semi; and then the final.

"Each fight has three, three minute rounds so we've tailored Danny's training to sudden bursts in the ring."

Sparring partners Danny McDermid and Joe Gaunt will also be watching with fingers crossed when he gets into the ring next Saturday against Peterborough's Cello Renda.