NICK Blackwell is doing his utmost to avoid being engulfed by the Chris Eubank Jr bandwagon as he continues to work towards a potential clash with world title hopeful.

After British champion Blackwell’s promoter Mick Hennessey won the purse bid to stage a contest between his man and the son of former world champion Chris Eubank, negotiations between the two camps, with a view to a British title match-up this spring, are rumbling on.

Trowbridge’s Blackwell, who beat John Ryder to win his Lonsdale strap before twice defending it last year, is back in Cardiff putting in the hard yards under trainer Gary Lockett and says that he has to believe that he truly is gearing up for a showdown with Eubank Jr, whose boastful antics have propelled him into a household name.

‘Bang Bang’ Blackwell, 25, is in no doubt that stepping into the ring with the Brighton man, who is one place higher – in second – in BoxRec’s domestic middleweight rankings, would represent the most high-profile fight of his career so far and is treading water as he waits for his chance to knock Eubank Jr off his perch to be rubber-stamped.

“I did hear a few rumours that Eubank could be fighting Billy Joe Saunders in July for big money, so I don’t know if he’d want to fight me before that because fighting me is high-risk,” said Blackwell.

“But I’ve had an e-mail that would mean that it is happening. When I last spoke to Mick too, he said that he was still speaking to Eubank Sr.

“In my mind, I’m fighting him. I usually take Christmas off but I only had Christmas Day off and now I’m back working hard again.

“Physically, I’m ready for it, but having things organised, would help me get mentally ready for it. I’ve heard that it could happen in March or April and it would nice to have a date to get ready for properly.

“I’m not chasing Eubank. The British Boxing Board of Control have put his as mandatory for my title but we’ve been put together before.

“Loads of people are asking me ‘when are you going to fight Eubank’ but I’m trying not to worry about it too much and just get on with my training.

“I go into all my fights thinking that I’m the underdog and a lot of people think that he’d beat me but I know that I’ve got his number and that I could upset them.

“It’d be a huge fight for me and a lot like the John Ryder fight but even bigger than that because beating him could push me on to bigger things.”