UNBEATEN Iain Butcher is determined to use his British Masters flyweight title clash with South African slugger Michael Ramabeletsa as a springboard to a New Year crack at the Lonsdale belt.

The 20-year-old Lanarkshire fighter has compiled a quick-fire unbeaten five-fight CV.

But the Gerviston puncher was in no mood to under- estimate the size of the challenge that awaits him three weeks today at the Rivals Gym in Wishaw.

Butcher said: "Ramabeletsa is an experienced campaigner who can bang and has been operating in British rings for three or four years now.

"He is naturally a bantamweight and has moved down to flyweight for this crack at the British Masters title after he lost in a challenge for the same title at his natural weight.

"So I know I am going to be in with a naturally bigger guy who can hit, but for me the bigger the challenge the better I box.

"The fact is if I can come through this one then that is likely to pave the way to a challenge for the Lonsdale belt hopefully by next summer.

"My heroes are Barry McGuigan and Ricky Hatton and I'd love to one day have the famous belt wrapped round my waist like they did. If I want the chance to do that, then I need to take care of Ramabeletsa."

McGuigan and Hatton were famed for their body shots and Butcher has not been slow to emulate these twin legends of the British ring.

The former Commonwealth games boxing star said: "The body attack is a vital part of my armory and I have spent hours studying the way Barry and Ricky attacked to the midriff.

"I have already dropped a couple of opponents that way and hopefully I can use that attack to defeat Ramabeletsa."