SEDGEFIELD’S Jeff Saunders steps through the ropes as a professional boxer for the first time at the Metro Radio Arena on Saturday night – and he is relishing the chance to impress on the big stage.

A big crowd will be in attendance as Saunders makes his way to the ring and the soon-to-be-father could not be happier.

“This is going to be electric,” said Saunders. “I am over the moon to be fighting on this show in front of more than 6,500 people. This is going to be completely different than when I was fighting in the ABAs.

“I will be psyched up for it and take a lot of energy from the crowd but when I am in there, that’s it, it will be tunnel vision from me, the crowd will be blanked out as I focus on the job at hand.”

Making it a family affair Jeff Snr will be ringside as his son takes to the ring and a specific moment in the changing rooms beforehand for young Saunders - brother of Bradley Saunders - will make it all a reality.

“It will get real when my father tells me that it’s time to get the boots on,” he continued. “Then, when I get in there, I want to see how the first couple of rounds go and enjoy myself. I want to see what it’s all about first and then step it up in the later rounds.”

Anthony Nelson challenges Jamie Wilson for the vacant Commonwealth super flyweight title and the Dickinson brothers also appear on the show with Jon-Lewis facing Stephen Simmons for the WBC International Silver cruiserweight strap.

Promoter Eddie Hearn, who has brought his full Matchroom bandwagon to the region for the first time, added: “I am disappointed at Bradley Saunders’ withdrawal but this is a huge step up for Nelson and Wilson in what is a great 50-50 scrap.

“We’ve sold over 7,000 tickets for this which is beyond our expectations and we are wanting fighters like Nelson and Saunders to grow with us. The Nelson fight, and the one between Dickinson and Simmons are two I am very much looking forward to.”

Several national fighters will also turn out as heavyweight Anthony Joshua takes on American Jason Gavern, and there’ll be appearances from Liverpool’s Stephen Smith and Manchester’s Hosea Burton.

Joshua returns from injury to tackle Gavern in what will be his opponents’ 50th .

The show, sponsored by Grosvenor Casino, is headlined by another Anthony, South Shields’s ‘Babyface’ Nelson, but it is the heavyweight who the eyes of the public will focus upon.

Five months out of the game is a long time in anyone’s books but, for Joshua, he is hoping that the return comes with further continuation of an already impressive career.

With ten stoppages from ten wins in the paid ranks Joshua knows that Gavern will be a test of his abilities. Saturday night though he insists that the 37-year-old American, who has opposed James Toney, Deontay Wilder and, in his last outing Gerald Washington, will go the way others have gone before.

“Jason is very good at surviving and does things to break the rounds down,” Joshua said. “He likes to entertain people when he is the ring but, although he will be an awkward opponent I am hopeful that this bout will have the same outcome.”

Joshua is just glad to be back following his layoff and, with a potential clash with Kevin Johnson on the horizon, is taking it all in his stride.

“It’s all down to the endurance levels,” stated the heavyweight. “Turning professional has worked perfectly for me and, although there have been longer hours in the gym, doing twelve rounds instead of six it’s been great.

“There’s not been much difference though as the GB lads train like profe3ssionals anyway and with the best in the world, so that has made the transition much better.”