SEAN McGoldrick hopes to create his own piece of history and help inspire the next generation of Newport boxers when he bids for the British and Commonwealth bantamweight titles tomorrow night.

The 31-year-old faces the biggest fight of his career at Cardiff’s Vale Sports Arena, with Scotland’s Scott Allan, 30, standing between him and a momentous night in the capital.

Victory for McGoldrick would see him become the first fighter from Newport to win a Lonsdale Belt since David ‘Bomber’ Pearce captured the heavyweight crown in September 1983.

Pearce himself followed in the footsteps of Steve ‘Sammy’ Sims, who had landed the British featherweight title 12 months earlier.

Since Pearce beat fellow Welshman Neville Meade, Paul Samuels (2000), Matthew Edmonds (2009) and Craig Woodruff (2022) have come up short in bids to be Newport’s next best of British.

South Wales Argus:

Sean McGoldrick. Picture: Peter Byrne/PA Wire

And McGoldrick, a Commonwealth Games gold medalist in 2010, wants to be the man to end that 40-year wait.

“Like in any sport, you’ve got to earn the right to win titles,” he said. “We have prepared for a tough night, but I’m looking forward to the challenge.

“I’ve worked so hard to get to this level, boxing is something I’ve been doing since I was eight or nine, and now I get to go out there and hopefully create a bit of history.

“David Pearce was the last boxer from Newport to win a British title and Sammy Sims did it before him, and I’ve got the chance to be the next fighter from the city to win a Lonsdale Belt.

“We had some great boxers that came after David and Sammy, and guys like Matthew Edmonds, Paul Samuels and Mo Nasir inspired me when I was starting out.

“Hopefully me and Craig Woodruff being successful will inspire the next generation of fighters, like the guys that came before inspired me.

“Boxing is a great sport and it would be great if I could help get more people into it, either as a hobby or competitively.

“Newport does punch above its weight when it comes to the successful boxers we’ve produced, and it would be amazing to win these titles and inspire more people to keep that tradition going.

“We’ve got a rich history of boxing in Newport and when boxers do well it gives the city a lift.”

While McGoldrick, who trains in Manchester under Jamie Moore and Nigel Travis, has won 12 of 13 professional contests, he admits his best is still to come.

“I haven’t shown my full potential in the pros,” he said.

“The pro game is tough and I’ve spent a long time learning the trade, but I believe I will show my best in this fight.

“Physically, I reckon I’m at my absolute peak, I’ve never felt better. But that will count for nothing if I don’t get it right on the night.

“I can take a lot of confidence from everything I’ve done in camp, which is always a bonus.

“I’ve got a big test ahead of me and I’m well aware of the magnitude of it, and I don’t think my mind would allow me to look past it.

“All I know is that Scott is standing in the way of what I want to achieve, so it’s up to me to make sure he doesn’t take what I feel I deserve.”

He added: “I might be wrong but I don’t think any Newport boxer has held the British and Commonwealth titles at the same time.

“Winning Commonwealth Games gold, the Lonsdale Belt and the Commonwealth title would be special for me, my family and Newport.

“I’m so grateful for all the support I get. It really does give me that one per cent extra.

“Boxing is what I love and I’m so lucky to have had the amount of support I’ve had, both as an amateur and professional.

“Winning those titles would mean as much to my supporters as it would to me.”