BRADLEY SAUNDERS will make his debut for promotional giants Matchroom in Liverpool on Saturday night and the County Durham fighter already has his eyes on the big pay days.

Sedgefield’s Saunders is matched with Latvian Ivans Levickis at Liverpool’s Echo Arena as one of the warm up fights for the eagerly-awaited rematch of Nathan Cleverly and Tony Bellew.

And while the Olympian’s appearance on Merseyside will not leave shockwaves around the world, the plan is for Saunders to defeat Levicks before moving on to title fights early next year.

Saunders said: “I know it’s going to be hard. Dean Powell (his late trainer and matchmaker) used to say, ‘what am I going to do with you sonny? I’m giving you kids that you’re meant to go the distance with and you’re knocking them out!’

“I’m not getting fed people to go over just to make my record look good.

“I fought Peter McDonagh in my fifth fight and did a number on him (beating him on points).

“I’m ready to go. I want to be in America. I want to take on Erik Morales, DeMarcus Corley, they’re the ones I want – proper names. I wouldn’t even mind getting Michael Katzidis but it’s not so good now Tommy Coyle’s beaten him. I know I can compete and I think British people know I can compete, that’s why they won’t take the fights.”

Levickis has won 13 and lost 14 of his contest so he should be no pushover when he faces Saunders. He has also won four of his last five contests.

But Saunders, whose potentially lucrative deal with Eddie Hearn will lead to him hitting the jackpot financially if he fulfils the potential he has, feels in prime condition and ready to extend his winning start to life as a pro boxer to 11 fights.

“I have had three weeks training for this,” said Saunders. “Ian Glass, at Muscle World Nutrition in Hartlepool has been over to Marbella with me. He’s second to none. I’ve trained with some pretty good people with GB (the Great Britain amateur boxing team) and all the rest of it, and he knows his stuff.

“Some of the stuff he asks me to do ... I think, ‘that’s mental’ but I do it. The next day I’m either lighter on the scales or stronger again.

“I listen to him because I know he’s got my best interests at heart. My coach Seamus (Macklin) who does all the boxing side and my manager Daniel Kinahan, who overlooks everything, means I’ve got a perfect team. No one has to do too much and everybody’s got a job. I just want to deliver now.”