Northampton boxer Carl Fail is targeting titles in 2023

The Northampton professional will be aiming to make it eight wins out of eight when he returns to the ring next Friday (Feb 17) against veteran journeyman Serge Ambomo.

Fail takes on the 35-year-old in a super welterweight clash over six rounds at York Hall in Bethnal Green, and accepts that he is going to have to bring his 'A game' to secure victory.

But he is 100 per cent confident he will do just that, and then it is all about stepping up and getting the chance to fight for titles - and he wants to be winning belts by the end of 2023.

"Ambomo is a big puncher, he has a few knockouts on his record, and he is dangerous but I am capable of beating him," said 26-year-old Fail, who is now part of Frank Warren's Queensberry Promotions stable.

"It's all about taking steps in the right direction, and once I get this fight out of the way then it is titles next. This is my last six-rounder, because we have our sights set on titles.

"I would say this fight is a step up because he is a big puncher and is a danger, and he was an Olympian in 2012 with Cameroon. He has some pedigree and I am going to have to bring my A game, but I am going to beat him."

So what titles does Fail have his sights set on?

"We want to go the old school route, we'd like to do that, but it is down to Frank (Warren) and my manager, we will leave that to them," said the Far Cotton fighter.

"The English title is in sight and I would like to fight for that.

"Jordan Dujon, the lad I beat on my debut, he has won the southern area and is fighting for the WBO European title in his next fight (he takes on Harry Scarff in Leicester on March 24), so I am sure he is going to want try to get some revenge on me at some point!

"So maybe I could take him on in a big fight, that would be good, but I will fight anybody.

"I want to get titles, I want to be involved in those big fights, and start collecting those belts."

It is now almost two years since Fail made his debut as professional, and he admits it has been something of a frustration that he has had to show real patience in his career to date.

But he insists that he and his twin brother Ben, who is due to make his long-awaited return to the ring next month, are keen to really step things up.

"We have done it the hard route, which we probably didn't have to, but we chosen to go that way," said Fail.

"I wouldn't change it, but Ben and me want to start making a statement now, and we want to show everybody what we can do.

"The fights I am getting at the moment I am not interested in them any more, I want to be in tough fights, the 50/50 fights, even underdog fights.

"That is what I want to be in now, me and my brother want to show everyone we are the best in the country and the world."

Ben Fail hasn’t fought since he made his debut in September 2020, as he has suffered with injuries.

But he is pencilled in to be part of the Queensberry Promotions show at Telford in March.