SHAYNE Singleton is confident he will be able to cope with Bradley Skeete's height and reach advantage when the pair clash for Skeete's British welterweight title in Cardiff in October 22.

The Colne fighter will go in as underdog against Skeete despite the pair having almost identical records, but he believes he has a game plan that will help him to tear the belt away from the London fighter in the Welsh capital.

Skeete, who has 24 wins and one defeat on his record, compared to Singleton's 23 wins and one defeat, is unusually tall at 6ft 1ins for a welterweight, and as a result Singleton has found himself sparring middleweights in training, something he believes will help when he steps in to the ring.

"We’re struggling to get people over six foot at our weight," said the 27-year-old Singleton. "You don’t really find them that height at welterweight so I’m having to spar big middleweights and trying to push them back and have me working them.

"I’ve been sparring a lad from Manchester called Ben Sheedy, he’s a 6ft 1ins middleweight and he’s a real strong fighter. He’s more of a come forward pressure fighter, but I’m getting the fitness from his pressure, Skeete isn’t going to have his strength and I’m able to get my shots off against the taller opponent.

"Skeete won’t be able to push me back like these boys. If I can hold my ground with these boys who are fighting at 12st and are six foot two then I can hold my ground with Skeete and do what I need to do."

Singleton, nicknamed 'The Pain', is already in good shape to make the 147 pounds welterweight limit having been in camp since the British Boxing Board of Control made him the mandatory challenge for Skeete's belt.

"I got made mandatory eight weeks ago. They told me the fight had to happen before November so I just kicked on," he explained.

"When the fight comes I’ll have had a 14 week camp, which could be a little too long, normally I’m good for eight to 10 weeks, but it’s all been about getting my weight down early and then the last eight to 10 weeks will all be working on a game plan rather than concentrating on the weight.

"I always find it hard to make welterweight but we’re there or thereabouts now, I’m in a good position for where we are."

Skeete's victory over Adil Anwar at the Manchester Arena in May put him in pole position to fight Skeete, claiming the WBC International Silver welterweight title in the process.

He was close to signing a deal to face unbeaten prospect Darren Tetley on the undercard of Anthony Crolla's world title defence against Jorge Linares in Manchester next weekend, but having been made mandatory challenge he decided that fight wasn't worth the risk.

The form lines favour Skeete in Cardiff, with the 28-year-old victorious over Sam Eggington in March, while Singleton was beaten by Eggington 12 months earlier.

But he insists he has learnt from that experience and is confident he will emerge victorious at the Motorpoint Arena.

"I would always have been confident of beating Skeete but because of the experience I’ve had since the Eggington defeat and how I’ve changed my approach mentally and physically I believe it’s come at the right time for me," he said.

"I can only see me beating him. I’ve 100 per cent confident of this. A lot of people are going off my defeat to Eggington and Skeete has beaten him, but styles make fights. I’m not just going to be walking in straight lines at Skeete like Eggington did, I’m a better mover so I think I can cause Skeete some big problems, I’m 100 per cent confident I’m taking that belt away from him."