By Shaun Brown

Jake Ball says he is “absolutely buzzing” to have been given the opportunity to fight in an English Light Heavyweight title eliminator against Joe Sherriff (11-0, 3 KOs) on September 1.

The Surrey based Matchroom fighter (9-1, 8 KOs) will feature on the promotional outfit’s season opener at the York Hall, which will also see the return of former Olympians Lawrence Okolie, Joe Cordina and Joshua Buatsi as well as Conor Benn, and English Super Welterweight champion Ted Cheeseman.

Ball, 24, face his stiffest test to date when he takes on Coventry’s Sherriff. The first unbeaten fighter that Ball will have fought in his career, and a significant step up from his last two fights against Olegs Fedotovs and Jamie Ambler.

“I’m more than ready. I’m looking forward to it,” Ball told Boxing Scene.

“Being honest I don’t know much about him (Sherriff). I know he’s a southpaw. He’s boxed quite a few of the fellas I’ve boxed. I haven’t really heard much about him. I’ll leave the team to sort that out. I’ll be in the gym grafting away doing what I do.”

After the British Boxing Board of Control recently approved a request from promoter Joshua Goodwin to stage the English Light Heavyweight title fight between Joel McIntyre and Liam Conroy, Ball had hoped that his promoter Eddie Hearn would be able to deliver some sort of eliminator.

“As soon as I found that out I said to Eddie it’d be great to have an English title eliminator with obviously a good opponent. I’m absolutely buzzing.”

After his devastating, first round defeat to JJ McDonagh last November Ball is refusing to look too far ahead into the future and is preaching the age old ‘one fight at a time’ script.

“The plan is now just one fight at a time until September 1 there’ll be no mention of what’s next after that and what the future holds. September 1 is the next step, York Hall, get that out of the way first and whatever happens from there goes on.”