NEW European lightweight champion Gavin Gwynne wants to defend his British title one more time – hopefully in Cardiff – before realising his dream of boxing in America.

The 33-year-old St Joseph’s fighter, who previously held the Commonwealth title, added the European belt to his collection by inflicting a first defeat on Italian veteran Emiliano Marsili at York Hall earlier this month.

Gwynne was down on two of the scorecards when Marsili retired on his stool at the start of the ninth round with a shoulder injury.

The Frank Warren-promoted boxer was disappointed with his performance and the nature of the victory, but he’s now looking to the future.

“I’m still British champion, I’d like to defend that one more time to get it to keep,” he said.

“If that’s the case or a bigger fighter arises… I’ll take whatever’s best business-wise and money-wise. I’ve got to make the most of my career while I can. I think I’ve got about three years left at the top of my game. I’m going to try and make as much money as possible and [win] as many belts as possible.

“I would happily take any fight at world level. I’d never say no to any fight,” added Gwynne.

“I’m looking at big fights now and big-money fights. I’d love to box in America; that’s one dream of mine. I’ve boxed in some big venues in Britain, but I’d love to box at the Millennium Stadium [in Cardiff]. It’s either that or America. Boxing in America would mean I’d ticked off every box on my [wish]list and I’d be a happy man.”

Gwynne beat Newport’s Craig Woodruff to defend his British title in Cardiff earlier this year and he’s keen to offer fellow Welsh fighters a helping hand with a return home for his next fight.

“I want a big show in Cardiff,” he told Boxing News. “Give the Welsh boys an opportunity to box on a big show. Welsh fighters need to go on the road to box on big shows. It’s always the same. Unless you’re English you don’t get to box on the big shows.

“I would really like to give the up-and-coming Welsh prospects the opportunity because we’ve got a lot of them in Wales.

“I know for a fact we’d sell out a show at the Cardiff Motorpoint Arena within a couple of weeks. We’ve got Liam Williams as well and he’s got the [Hamzah] Sheeraz fight. Stick me and him on the bill and it’ll sell out.”