Nikki Bascome is chomping at the bit to get back in the ring and go toe-to-toe with Canadian Cody Kelly in the main event of the Epic Entertainment Fight Night Champion card at The Shed, in Dockyard, tonight.

The two fighters will square off in an eight-round welterweight contest which will be the Bascome’s first competitive fight in nine months.

“I am definitely excited to get back in the ring,” Bascome, who has a 10-1 professional record, told The Royal Gazette. “It’s been a long time since I have been in the ring since January.

“However, things happen for a reason and I am just rolling with the punches.

“More than anything it will be a nice weight off my shoulder once I get this fight over with because like I said it’s been a long time with just training”

Bascome has trained extremely hard for the fight and is determined to give just as much effort in the ring.

“The fans can expect Nikki going out there and giving it his best as usual,” he added.

“I am a fighter who trains very hard. I push myself, I push my body to its limit and you can expect to see the same thing in the ring. I am going to give it my all.

“I have worked hard and I hope to go in there and execute; stay in the moment and stay switched on from round one.

“I have had a good camp and I hope to go in there and do my thing.”

Sizing up his opponent, whose record stands at 4-4-3, Bascome added: “From what I have seen on tape he seems like a decent fighter.

“He knows how to use the ring well and looks like he has got some good experience.”

Kelly has vowed to come out swinging and take the fight to Bascome, who says he is prepared for whatever his opponent throws at him.

“We’ll see if he wants to be aggressive or if he wants to box,” Bascome said. “It doesn’t matter, I am prepared.

“I have had good sparring and have an engine on me and if he wants to pick up the tempo, I will also pick it up. I worked hard and I am ready.

“I have left no stone unturned and feel I am in great shape. If he wants to be aggressive we will see how that plays out.

“But for me I am staying focused on my game plan and I plan to fight my fight.”

Bascome says he is also equipped to cope with Kelly’s ability to fight both as an orthodox and southpaw.

“It does not bother me at all,” he added. “I spar with southpaws and orthodox fighters all the time and for me I can adjust quickly when a fighter switches.

“My past camp in Las Vegas I sparred with a lot of switch hitters and it was definitely something that did not bother me at all.”

Bascome also shrugged of Kelly’s claim the pressure is more on the Bermudian as the home fighter.

“I don’t think there is any more pressure on me being the home fighter,” he said.

“I have been doing this for a long time and if anything I put more pressure on myself so that I can have a flawless victory and a good performance more than anything.”

Bascome also does not see himself at a disadvantage having not fought competitively in months compared to Kelly who last fought in July.

“Unfortunately things did not turn out the way they were supposed to for me to fight in the summer but I kept myself in shape,” he said.

“I don’t think it is a disadvantage for me at all because I still trained as if I was fighting, so I am still in shape. I feel like I am in more shape due to all the months and months of training.”

The main event between Kelly and Bascome is one of three professional bouts on the card with Bermuda’s Andre Lambe facing Paul Ispas for the vacant American Boxing Federation welterweight belt and compatriot Michael Parsons taking on Jamaican Gregory Miller in a catchweight bout.

Also featured on the card will be a host of local boxers including Adrian Roach, Ngai Franklin, Jaylon Roberts, Otero Smith and Josef Ferreira.

Tickets for the seated section for tonight’s event have already been sold out but tickets for the standing area are still available and can be purchased at ptix.bm.

• For more information, visit www.epicbda.com