LUKE Blackledge believes his sparring sessions with Carl Froch will help him claim the Commonwealth super middleweight title in Manchester tonight.

The Accrington boxer, who is trained by Kevin Maree at Stirk House in Gisburn, takes on Rocky Fielding at the Phones4U Arena at around 6pm tonight – on the undercard to Froch’s world title fight with George Groves.

Blackledge was handed the fight at only three days’ notice, after Fielding’s opponent pulled out.

But the East Lancashire man has been saying for several months that he wanted to fight Fielding, and is confident he will win despite the short notice.

Blackledge had been preparing to fight Paul Smith for the British title on December 7, only for that bout to be thrown into uncertainty by Smith’s decision to split with promoter Frank Warren.

But Blackledge continued training and has spent the past few weeks sparring with Froch – earning compliments from the world champion and an invitation to spar with him again in the future.

“I think this fight is perfect timing,” said Blackledge, 23.

“They’ve tried to catch me out by giving me the fight at short notice, but Rocky Fielding is going to be in for a big shock.

“I have been over to spar with Carl Froch and it’s worked out brilliantly because Carl fights like Rocky Fielding.”

Maree said: “It was do we wait around for Paul Smith or take this fight?

“Rocky Fielding didn’t want this fight but now he’s got it. I’m 100 per cent confident Luke can win.”