JOHN Wayne Hibbert says a positive Christmas training camp in Tenerife will provide him with plenty of festive cheer ahead of his Commonwealth title defence against Tommy Martin next month.

Hibbert flew out to Tenerife on Saturday to pick up his training schedule ahead of the fight at the Copper Box on Saturday, January 30.

He will be running up 3,800m high Mount Teide in order to improve his stamina and endurance, before returning next weekend.

And he is already eyeing a shot at the European lightweight title, currently held by Finland’s Edis Tatli.

“The training schedule is brilliant,” said Hibbert, who turned 31 on Saturday. “I have been training for the last nine days without a break so the day we travel will be my rest day. It will be a really intense week but by the time I come back I plan on being 80 per cent fit and then I can move onto sparring.

“It is a really nice place and one I know well. Plus it won’t do me any harm to get a bit of sun either.

“I want to fight for the European title if I beat Tommy, although all my energy is focused on him for now. We know each other well but we won’t be friends until January 31.”

The Horndon-on-the-Hill boxer flew to the Canary Islands with Tilbury welterweight Matt McCarthy, who is himself preparing for a fight against Sonny Upton next March, and strength and conditioning coach Alex Breading.

And Hibbert says he is already planning another excursion to Tenerife after Christmas, to finish his training schedule. Although he will take Christmas Day off to spend with his family, including his two children Lexie and Connor, Hibbert’s festive period is different to most, and that includes Christmas dinner.

“It is torture,” he laughed. “I had to do this last year as I was building up to the fight with Tyler Goodjohn so I am used to it, but my dinner will have a lot of vegetables in it! I won’t have any pudding as my dietitian says changing my diet even slightly in the run up to the fight could be problematic.

“I weigh 11 stone now, and aim to be 10st 10lb by the time I come back from Tenerife. Then I want to be 10st 7lb after Christmas in time for the fight, where I need to be 10st.

“A lot of people have Christmas parties and drinks at this time so it will be good for me to get away as I don’t want that distraction.”

Hibbert has added three new sponsors to his team as he drums up support for the big fight. Le Hope Contractors, SVM Installations and Youth Creation back the Horndon boxer along with JVH Building Services, Capwell Design Ltd, Dean Crumpton Painting & Decorating, the Karis May Darling Foundation, SJIT, Reeds Butchers, Impulse Leisure and T&P Lead Roofing.