SEVEN years to the day he contested his first cage fight – David Round will compete at the Macto Championships at the MK Arena in Milton Keynes on Saturday on a huge night for his career.

The 28-year-old fights the highly rated Alex Montagnani in a welterweight contest, whose career record read seven wins and one defeat – with six of his victories coming via knockout.

And former Milford man Round admitted the timing of the fight was ironic.

“Seven years after winning my debut fight in 57 seconds, I will walk out to face a knockout artist like myself on what is set to be the biggest show the UK has seen in MMA outside of a UFC fight night,” he said.

“I'm feeling confident as I always do, but this time there's something else inside me that feels so strong that I can't be beaten

“I have looked a little into Alex and his background and there are a few holes in his game that I will look to capitalise on.

And despite Montagnani’s impressive record, Round said: “Alex is a good fighter but he ‘s never fought someone of my experience.

“I don't see anything he can bring that I haven't dealt with and overcome before.”

A host of friends and family members will be travelling to Milton Keynes to support the former Milford Haven School pupil, and he admitted he was looking forward to fighting in a special atmosphere.

“I love the support and the crowd because it's the cheering that I feed off. There have been people booking from all over the UK to come to watch me and I am really grateful.”

Round, who currently holds a Welsh kickboxing title, said he has altered his training plans in the build up to Saturday.

“I have found a little boxing gym with a great coach in Neil Jenkins who puts me through the best pad work I've had since I trained with Graham Brockway.

“Radoslaw Klepczarek and myself do MMA most mornings in a cage in Swansea and I have gone back to ‘cave ma’n style training and eating for this fight - heavy weights , hard sparring, long runs, boxing and steak!”

Ahead of the fight, Round said he wanted to thank Afan Spartans Boxing Club, manager Chris Clark of the Fight Agency, and sponsors Granicol, JY Nutrition, L Greggain Builders and Contractors, Grip Sports, Good Cleaning Service, Impact LPA and Steve Evans at Studio 9 Custom Tattoo, Johnston.

He also expressed gratitude for the Macto organisation itself, and said the organisation would only get better,

“ I'm happy to be a part of Macto for my future UK fights with the freedom to fight anywhere outside of the UK," he said.

"I have been up and down the country with them promoting and filming and feel that Macto is where I feel I should call home for my UK fights.

"Ross Laurence and Wad Alameddine are two very experienced figures in UK MMA and people I have known since 2010, and Chris Emmanuel is doing things behind the scenes that nobody sees but are very important in the running of things.

"James Lutman is a fighter I have known for a while and a top match maker and Bradley Burnell is covering a lot of areas for Macto. These five have the knowledge between them to make Macto a very powerful force in UK MMA."