RICKY HATTON’S former assistant trainer, Bobby Rimmer, predicts world domination for Olympic boxer Tony Jeffries, provided the Sunderland favourite is in no mood to rush.

Promoter Frank Maloney was back on Wearside yesterday to publicise Jeffries’ third fight since turning professional, against a yet to be confirmed opponent at the Seaburn Centre on Friday, July 10.

But rather than seriously testing the 24-year-old with his first six-rounder and a sterner opponent, Maloney and Rimmer have chosen to stick with four three minute rounds and ask for patience.

After defeating Aliaksandr Vayavoda within seconds of his professional debut in February, Jeffries brushed aside German Roy Meissner at the Crowtree Leisure Centre last month inside two rounds.

“These kids that turn pro have to move home, you ask them to train differently at a different gym, so it has to be gradual,” said Rimmer, who only started working with Jeffries a few weeks before the Meissner bout.

“Sometimes I ask Tony to do things and he looks at me and says ‘why?’ But then as the training goes on he understands why. It’s a big upheaval and he has done well.

“Tony will deliver the goods. I have no doubt in my mind that one day Tony will be a world champion. No doubt. But it’s something that will not happen overnight.

“What some people don’t understand is that when you step up to six rounds it’s a step up in opponent. It’s not just a step up in rounds. But as they get better you will see the real Tony Jeffries.”

While there might be a clamour for him to move up through the light heavweight ranks quickly, the Olympic bronze medallist is in no rush.

“This is my last fourrounder before I step up to six,” said Jeffries, who formally opened his new boxing Olympian Boxing Club in Sunderland yesterday. “I haven’t even been three rounds yet in my first two fights so it wouldn’t be so bad if this one went the distance.

“Training’s going very well, I’m feeling the difference.

Every two weeks I feel like I’m improving somewhere, technique- wise, fitness or strength.”

Jeffries will be the leading attraction at Seaburn next month, although there are eight other North-East boxers on show along with the main event, a British super flyweight title fight between Bristol’s Lee Haskins and Sheffield’s Ross Burkinshaw.

And Maloney is convinced Sunderland’s profile as a boxing city will continue to grow with Jeffries.

“It speaks volumes that we are back in Sunderland for the second time in 12 weeks,” said the promoter. “It’s a great show, the card is stacked with local fighters.

“We are slowly building a very talented group. I actually think that Sunderland will take over from Manchester and London in the next 18 months and become the home of British boxing.”

■ Tickets are priced £80 ringside and £40 and are available by calling 0871 226 1508 or at www.frankmaloney.com