Teddington personal trainer Kieran Leinster is within touching distance of his goal and knows his next fight is crucial.

The 22-year-old makes the second defence of his Queensbury National Middleweight championship belt next month at Epsom Downs racecourse knowing a win will take him to the top of the league.

Old rival John Hefford stands in his way and Leinster is hoping for an emphatic repeat of the performance that floored the Essex challenger in the fourth round back in February.

Since then, the former St Mary’s University student knocked out Northampton challenger Daniel Spencer in the first defence of his belt back in April.

And the undefeated champion believes Hefford will be up against a much improved fighter when the pair share the ring once again.

“If John Hefford is as confident of winning this fight as he says he is then the league’s fans are in for an even more exciting fight than our first one,” he said.

“Since knocking Hefford out back in February, I’ve heard talk he thought he was winning the fight.

“But for me he had a good first round and then I started to warm into the fight and I finished him off in emphatic fashion in the fourth.

“This next fight for me is crucial if I’m going to reach the top of the division which has been my goal from the beginning, and I’ve got an even greater hunger to succeed being so close to my goals.”

Leinster’s title defence will feature as the co-main event on the 14-fight bill taking place in the Oaks Arena at Epsom Downs racecourse on September 27.

For further information on the full line up go to queensburyboxing.co.uk.