BRADLEY Saunders is stepping up his preparation for the World Championships by flying to China to face the fighters most likely to be challenging for gold.

The South Durham ABC boxer is off to an intensive England training camp this weekend in Sheffield before flying out to the Asian continent to take part in a competition against the world 's best fighters.

Saunders,who was crowned ABA senior light welterweight champion at The York Hall,Bethnall Green,London late last year,warmed up for the China trip by taking part in Ireland 's European Union Championships.

The 20-year-old claimed a bronze medal at the tournament last month, held at National Stadium in Dublin, from an event where 21 countries were competing.But such are the high standards of the precociously talented boxer that he believes he should have done better.

Saunders took care of Guevork Galistan from Greece,(4-2,12-7,20-9) in the first round,before dispatching of Slovakia 's Pavol Hlavacka (5-2,9- 7,19-8)in the quarter finals.

But the Sedgefield-based young ster came unstuck in the last four when he narrowly lost to Poland 's Marcin Legowski (3-4,6-10,10-16).

Saunders said:"I stopped the Greek lad in the third round.Apparently he had been to the Olympics and done very well when he was there.By all accounts he should have got a medal in Athens.

"Then I beat a Slovakian,who was number seven in Europe,and I beat him by a good 14 points.

"I boxed really well.I could have easily got a silver at least.I thought I was badly done to in the semi-final against the Polish lad,who is number four in the world.

"I was scored brilliantly all the way through but when it comes to the medals,all these eastern European countries stick together.They would rather someone from either Russia, Ukraine or Belarus win rather than someone from England."

Eager to build on his Irish experience the promising fighter is away with the England amateur squad to sharpen up before preparing for the trip to China.

"This weekend is just a get together just to sharpen up and get some sparring,"added Saunders."China will be a different kettle of fish.It will be harder than the Olympics because only selected teams have got invitations to go.Only the top teams in the world will be there.There will be no novice countries or easy draws -just the best of the best.

"This will be harder than the worlds.

I could go to the World Championships and get an easy draw.But in China there 's Russians, Cubans and all the European and world champions will be fighting in this competition.It won 't be easy but it will give me a good idea of what the standards are like for when I compete in October."