AN international title fight on a massive card was temptation enough for Matthew Hall to leave his light middleweight comfort zone and challenge Cork’s Spike O’Sullivan at middle this weekend.

The former Commonwealth light middleweight champion challenges the Irish middleweight champion  for the WBO International title on the undercard of David Haye’s grudge match with Dereck Chisora at West Ham’s Upton Park on July 14.

He was set to face Jack Culcay but a late switch because of German television schedules means he must take on the 27-year-old Irishman instead.

Hall insists he won’t make a permanent move to middleweight but remains convinced he can make the step up.
“It’s the biggest fight this summer. There are the European Championships and the Olympics going on and this is going to be the only fight anybody will be talking about. All the others will be swept under the carpet. There will be 40,000 people in the stadium. I’ve fought at the MEN Arena but this will be treble that,” Hall said of the fight night before discussing the upgrade in weight.

“I will still weigh about 11st 1lb, 11st 2lb on the day before. I’m not a middleweight but I’m just ready to fight. I fought at middleweight as an amateur and won three national titles – but I won’t weigh 11st 6lb because I want to feel sharp on the night. “I won’t carry on at middleweight – I’m just taking this fight because the title is still on the line. “That was the most important thing, to fight for a title on a massive show.”