VIDEO: Tomi Tatham - Tyson Fury’s triumph inspired me

Tomi Tatham hard at work ahead of his fight in Blackpool. Picture: Karen Priestley.

The Bentham bruiser used to train at Skerton ABC with the new undisputed champion and watched with interest as the Morecambe giant ended Wladimir Klitschko’s title reign in Dusseldorf.

The 26-year-old says he is more determined than ever now to rise through the ranks and join Fury, the resort’s English featherweight champion Isaac Lowe and Lancaster’s mixed martial arts champion Shay Walsh in winning major titles.

Tatham said: “Everyone’s moving on and I want to be part of it, the little belt party of Lancaster.

“I was watching Tyson’s fight and it just made it real.

“This is someone who turned pro with Hughie (Tyson’s late uncle) when I was training down there as an amateur.

“He was always knocking about and had his caravan out the back of Hughie’s gym.

“I knew him when he first turned pro and all of sudden you see this guy who has won four world titles.

Tomi Tatham with Tyson Fury at Skerton ABC.

“It just puts into perspective what hard work can do.

“It just made it real for me and I was just sat there smiling and beaming for him.”

Tatham, 9-1 as a pro after his stunning knockout win over Carl Wild back in October, is hoping to finish the year on a high at Blackpool’s Winter Gardens this Saturday night and set up title chances in 2016.

Manager Steve Wood and trainer Karl Ince are ready to move on the popular light-heavyweight who has always insisted he’ll fight anyone, anywhere.

Tatham said: “We’re on the same wavelength now.

“I’ve always just said, I’m not bothered, I want to fight, but they’ve got to look after me and make sure I’m not too brave for my own good and that I’m ready for it all.

“We’ve got to start moving forwards and take those 50-50 fights or even 60-40 against me.

“If anything comes to it I’ve always got that puncher’s chance.

“When they’re opening up like Wild did, he came to win, I can perform like I did because he was on me as well.”

Back-to-back camps mean the Bentham man has put his body through the mill for the final months of the year but the personal trainer is ready to get the job done on December 12.

He said: “Going straight into the next fight has put a toll on my body.

“I am tired, I am feeling fatigued but I’ve got a job to do and I’m just going to go in there and do it.

“I’ve got aches and pains because it’s been pretty much 16 weeks, six days a week in down in Preston, as well as working.

“It’s about getting it done, enjoying Christmas and then the break will give me the drive to kick on again in 2016.”

The VIP Promotions bill, which features English Cruiserweight champion Matty Askin and Commonwealth Super Middleweight champion Luke Blackledge, will be streamed live and free at vipboxing.tv.