Gravesend boxer Harry Dhami has said he is in brilliant shape as he prepares for next Mondays mandatory defence of his British Welterweight title against Spencer McCracken at the Aston Villa Leisure Centre in Birmingham.

Dhami, who deposed champion Derek Roche at the end of March to become the first Asian of British origin to hold a title, successfully made a voluntary defence against Malcolm Melvin at Wembley last month.

That hastily arranged fight replaced the mandatory defence that Dhami was due to make against

McCracken, who was forced to pull out of the original fight because of injury.

Dhami, pictured right, said: Im feeling brilliant. My body and mind are both relaxed while, physically, I feel tremendous. Ive done all the hard work and I will be doing light training between now and the fight just to keep myself ticking over.

But McCracken is going to be a very tough opponent. He once fought for the IBO World title and lost narrowly on points to South African Peter Malinga.

McCracken is strong, durable and is clever, so it should be a great fight.

Taking him on in front of his home fans will be like going back in to the lions den, but I did it against Roche and Ill do it again against McCracken. I admit that I was not at my best against Melvin. You cannot

always perform to your very best, but I know thats what I will have to do against someone of McCrackens ability.

Dhami also thanked his sponsors Blyth Leisure, as well as his employers AEI Cables for enabling him to have time off from work.

Watch the fight live on Sky Sports 1 on Monday, with the build-up starting at 8pm.