BOLD Bradley Pryce will step into the steaming cauldron of Belfast's Odyssey Arena tonight, looking to begin an epic journey all of his own.

The 21-year-old rising star takes on Ulsterman Neil Sinclair for the coveted British welterweight crown.

And there isn't a shadow of doubt in his mind that he won't bring the glittering belt back to Gwent, where he plans to begin masterminding a crack at a world title.

Confident Pryce, who like Sinclair had no problems in making the 10st 7lb weight in Belfast yesterday, beamed: "I just can't wait to get in the ring now and win the British title. "That's my aim and it's going to happen."

"I'm confident at fighting anyone. When you look at Sinclair's record, he's a big puncher but I will still beat him.

"When I box, I can outclass anyone. It's just sometimes I get drawn in to their game and get involved in a war but this time I'm determined to dismantle him and then take him out in the later rounds."

Young pretender Pryce, though, faces an all-mighty challenge to be crowned British king.

Not only is he facing a cultured champion aiming to make the third defence of his title and earn a treasured Lonsdale belt, the Welshman faces a hostile, partisan reception inside the £100m Odyssey Arena which stages its maiden boxing bout.

But none of that fazes Pryce, who revealed: "My worst nightmare inside a boxing ring has already happened when I lost in front of my own fans (to Ted Bami at Cardiff Castle last August) so I'm actually looking forward to going to Belfast and boxing.

"They can boo me, they can do what they want but that will just make me better. They will probably want to see a war. I don't want that but if it happens, I'm ready to trade all night."

And proud Pryce has no doubt what the future will hold for him after what promises to be an electrically charged night in Belfast.

"Winning this title would make me No.1 in Britain and then I'll go on and defend it three times and earn the Lonsdale belt," he said. "After that I would want to go for a world title. Everything is going to plan at the moment."

Pryce's illustrious stablemate, WBO super-middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe is confident.

Calzaghe, who will be ringside tonight, said: "He's got a big opportunity here. He has worked hard and sparred with me. He's got his own game plan and I'm sure that he's going to cause a shock over there."