MIDDLEWEIGHT boxer Danny Brown will put his friendship with Diego Burton to one side when they square up for a British title next month.

The pair contested the British Masters middleweight crown at York Hall last year, with Peckham pugilist Burton securing a narrow points win.

Brown became mates with Burton following an earlier bout, but he is determined to avenge that title defeat 12 months ago then they step into the ring for the rematch in Bethnal Green on Saturday, September 6.

“We chat quite a lot when we see each other at fights and on Twitter but that will count for nothing at York Hall,” said Brown, who lived in Wickford before moving to South Woodham Ferrers.

“I saw Diego at a press conference a couple of weeks ago and he said he doesn’t expect the fight to go the distance and will be a real 50-50 fight.

“I think it’s going to be the fight of the night and I hope it goes my way.”

It will be the third time Brown has fought 28-year-old Burton, with the south Londoner claiming points wins on both occasions.

But southpaw Brown, who is a plasterer, feels in good shape ahead of the fight.

He has been concentrating on his strength and doing more weights, combined with sparring at Wickford’s Newlands Gym.

“I haven’t felt this good and everything is going well for me,” added Brown, who has gone three fights without a win.

“And I think the work I have done on my strength will stand me in good stead.

“It is a 10-round fight but I have been doing 10 to 12 rounds in sparring so I can go the distance.

“Diego is a tough kid and I think the fight is going to be a bit of a war to be honest and the boxing might go out of the window.

“But he will have to be special to beat me,” added Brown, who is still being trained by Jason Rowland.

Brown views Burton as “quite a lazy fighter” and will be using the lessons learnt from his defeats in 2011 and 2013 to the Londoner.

He said both reverses had been close points decisions but is planning to win by a larger margin next month.

Burton has a record of four wins, four defeats and a draw from his nine bouts, with Brown having won four, lost 16 and drawn two from his 22 fights.