Local featherweight boxer Paul Halpin is still pinching himself.

Tomorrow night at the MEN Arena in Manchester he fights on the same bill as one of his five all-time greats.

Halpin is on the undercard for Mike Tyson's British debut against Julius Francis.

It's the thrill-of-a-lifetime for the unbeaten featherweight prospect from Hove.

"The first time I remember seeing Tyson was on terrestrial TV when he won the world heavyweight title," said Halpin. "I am fascinated by him, absolutely gobsmacked.

"I think that applies not just to boxing fans but the public in general. The interest he has caused since coming over is phenomenal. I don't think a little green man from space could have created so much.

"He is definitely up there as one of my top five all-time best fighters. I like everything he generates and the amazing thing is he doesn't even have to try.

"He doesn't do anything. He just walks and snarls and people love it. He's a throwback to the old days.

"I'll make an effort to get near him at the weigh-in, maybe get an autograph or a couple of words. It's more than exciting to be on the same bill as him. Over Christmas I hurt my back. It was really painful. I could just about get out of bed, but the thought of missing out spurred me on. There will be 21,000 fans there, millions more watching around the world and the buzz is going to be excellent.

"I have been told I am a floater, so hopefully I will be on between the two main fights. It would be nice to get on early then sit down and watch him, but I don't think that will happen."

Tyson's influence extends to a change in style since Halpin's amateur days.

"My style through the amateurs was to be flamboyant, a bit like Sugar Ray Leonard," he said.

"As I have got older my style has changed dramatically. I look up more to the likes of Tyson, Roberto Duran and Julio Cesar Chavez.

"They are more in your face. The public like that and that is what earns money."

Halpin might be sharing the same ring as one of his idols tomorrow night and trying to produce an explosive performance of his own. But that is just about where the similarities end. They are miles apart on the scales, in a different world in financial terms.

Halpin tries to keep himself well-groomed and smartly dressed. Some of his best friends think he earns as much as £15,000 per fight, but they are sadly mistaken.

He does not own the flat he lives in and relies on hand-outs from his family and loyal girlfriend Marcella, a hairdresser. He has even been known to raid his mum's fridge for food.

Purses for fights go on petrol and equipment. Halpin's biggest pay day so far was for destroying Brighton roadsweeper Justin Murphy to claim the Southern Area title, but he said: "I got peanuts. I trained four months for that one fight to earn what people in an average job make in three or four weeks.

"People harp on about how hard it's been for Tyson, but look at me? I haven't got a penny to my name.

"I am fighting for next to nothing and my girlfriend works all the hours under the sun. He must have made his first million when he turned pro. What's hard about that?"

Halpin has been on the brink of hanging up his gloves more than once. He has also had to overcome a career-threatening blood disorder.

Last summer he quit the Peacock gym in East London to sign up with Frank Maloney, the man behind Lennox Lewis.

Ronnie Davies, the Hove-based former trainer of Chris Eubank, was going to look after him, but Peacock refused to release Halpin from his contract.

Frank Warren bought it out, gave him a three-year deal and a new trainer, London-based former European featherweight champion Jim McDonnell.

With the confusion over his career resolved, tomorrow night's fight launches a crucial 12 months for Halpin.

Ranked No. 8 in the country, he is pencilled in for another outing on February 19 followed by a British title challenge in April.

"This is such an important year for me, make or break," he said. "I want to win the British title, be going for the European title towards the end of the year, then next year the world."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.