MARK Tiffin has revealed the secret behind his knockout punch. Tiffin looks to bring the British bareknuckle boxing championship back to Wakefield next week. He meets Aaron McCallum for the vacant belt in London on Saturday, September 16 – and the fight could be over early. Tiffin has taken the short route to his title shot, chinning all three opponents promoters BKB TM have put in front of him.

The former rugby player said: “Everyone I have fought I have either knocked out or they have quit on me, they couldn’t take anymore. “I’ve got a strength and conditioning coach and he can’t believe my strength. “He says I’m stronger than heavyweight boxers he’s worked with. “I’m nowhere near their size, but he says I’m stronger. “I used to dig holes, I think that’s where the strength comes from. “I used to dig 20 foot deep holes with a shovel. I started doing that when I was a young lad and maybe that explains it.”

Tiffin expects his toughest fight yet next weekend. From Nottingham, McCallum is known for his big punch and granite chin. “He’s not going to fold,” said Tiffin. “I know he has a big right hand and he comes forward with his head down. “He’s been saying he’s a boxer now, that he’s a totally different fighter, but I don’t see how he can be that much different from his last fight.” That was against Scott McHugh. McHugh was able to outbox McCallum over five rounds in May to retain his British bantamweight title.

The Leeds fighter has since relinquished the belt, leaving Tiffin and McCallum to fight for it in front of 3,000 fans at the O2 Arena and millions more watching around the world. Tiffin said: “I sparred Scott and he told me afterwards: ‘You caught me with more shots than Aaron McCallum did when we fought.’ “I just hope it’s a good fight.”