Barrow boxer Callum Pearson will do something he never thought possible next month, when he fights on the same card as Nigel Benn, who was one of his heroes growing up.

Former two-weight world champion Benn is making a much talked about comeback to the ring, 23 years after his last fight in 1996, at the Resorts World Arena in Birmingham at the age of 55 on November 23.

He'll be up against a relative spring chicken in 40-year-old Sakio Bika in the night's main event and it represents a big opportunity for Pearson, as he is set to fight in front of as many as 16,000 people.

It comes three years after he met Benn during his visit to Barrow, where he spoke about his career and life, with the night particularly memorable for him winning a framed pair of signed shorts, which came not long before he made his professional debut.

Pearson said: "Nigel Benn is a boxing legend. If someone had said to me back in 2016 that one day I'd be fighting on his undercard, I'd have told them they were talking rubbish.

"Three years ago, no-one knew he was going to come back and it just so happens I won a competition and now I'm being pushed on his undercard, so it's quite a good story.

"I grew up as a young lad watching him, so it's crazy to be on the same stage as him. I just can't wait and I'm training really hard, as it's only seven weeks away."

Pearson will be up against Liverpool's Craig Kennerdale and the 27-year-old goes into the bout having won his last five contests, albeit not on as big a stage as he will soon find himself.

"It's a massive opportunity for me, really, to box in such a big event," Pearson said. "It's going to be a big night for myself and the town.

"I just know that Craig has got a similar record to me, it's a 50-50 fight, so it's going to be quite a good test for myself."