Prepare to see the best of Pompey Problem Mickey McKinson in WBO Global welterweight title defence against Przemyslaw Runowski

And the Pompey Problem believes his tough Polish opponent could help bring the best out in him on the Fight Camp 2 undercard in Matchroom main man Eddie Hearn's back garden on Saturday.

Southpaw McKinson makes the first defence of his WBO Global welterweight title against Runowski.

The 27-year-old, aiming to extend his 20-0 unbeaten professional record, is in no doubt the 19-1 Pole provides his trickiest ring test yet.

But McKinson insists the harder opponent, the better he performs - and he is ready to excite fight fans in attendance in Essex and those watching on TV in what will be his maiden bout since signing a promotional deal with Matchroom.

He said: ‘It’s pro fight 21, pro win 21. Each fight I have I get better and better and that’s an honest opinion.

‘I’ve got a great team around me, my development, people are just seeing me getting better and better.

‘Yeah, this is a hard fight, this is a tougher fight than my fights before, but I’m a better Mikey. I’m a more mature Mikey than ever before.

‘I’ve done the weight brilliant, this camp has been great for me, it’s just the last couple of days are always a drag. I can see myself putting on a really good performance on Saturday.

‘If people know me, they know I don’t like to sit at the same level. Every fight I have I want to step up because I’m going in the right direction then.

‘I’m expecting a tougher fight than ever before but if he brings his A game it’ll bring the best out of me.

‘I haven’t really been in a fight where I’ve had to dig deep, grit my teeth and find something to get the win. Most of my fights have been a comfortable points win.

‘When I’ve got an opponent who’s going to bring the best out of me and make me go through the gears, people will see a lot more to my ability than they ever have done.’

McKinson heads into the first defence of his WBO Global title on the back of his biggest career win, defeating Chris Kongo in Gibraltar on the Dillian Whyte v Alexander Povetkin II undercard in March.

Back then, Kongo was the signed Matchroom fighter with the Pompey Problem drafted into face the south Londoner.

However, the tables have now turned for McKinson as he is now part of Hearn's Matchroom fighters, whereas Runowski is the outside opponent.

But southpaw McKinson stressed the added pressures of being more well known and the bookies' favourite will not faze him.

He said: ‘Some people crumble under the pressure but I shine under that pressure all the time.

‘I see this as a really good, tough test which means in the fight people will see a lot more to my ability than they have done before.

‘People always mention other guys names, other welterweights names when I get spoke to, if I don’t produce a good performance on Saturday it’s pointless talking about anyone else.

‘My name is around so real good names in my WBO ranking and in Britain as well, but my job is to sort out Mr Runowski and move on from there.

‘People see outspoken Mikey a lot but when I go into camp I never really speak about anyone else except my opponent.’