Will Tomlinson talks Hero Tito, three-fight plan for 2016

 
EVERYTHING stops for Will Tomlinson on Friday night.

 
The former IBO super featherweight titleholder enters his fight with Indonesian Hero Tito at the Melbourne Pavilion, knowing that anything other than a win, will put a serious dent in his lightweight title ambitions.

 
We caught up with Tomlinson to get his thoughts on the high stakes nature of his latest fight.

 
“As an experienced athlete and someone who has been in the game for a long time, I understand the important of not putting too much excessive pressure to perform and force things, cause it never comes,” said Tomlinson.

 
“Having ackolwdged that, I also understand the importance that for the importance of my brand,” he added.

 
“I’ve got to go back to what made me ‘Wild Will’, which is who I am. And thats going out there and putting on a somewhat reckless and overly aggressive performance which will result in an exciting fight.”

 
The 29-year-old Melburnian is putting pressure on himself to not only win, but to do so in style.

 
“I want to go out there and fight – not to lose – but to win,”

 
“And doing so, having that mindset and that mentality, that will only produce my best performance.”

 
“So it’s not necessarily a bad thing to think about the knockout cause when I fight that way, I get the best out of me. Whereas other fighters, it doesn’t work. But for me, cause its my go-to style, it works for me.”

 
Tomlinson (24-2-1, 13 KOs) recently penned a deal with leading Australian promoter Brian Amatruda. Tomlinson is hoping that the three-fight deal will see re-establish himself as a leading light domestically.

 
“This fight for me, back here in my hometown in Melbourne, is about reconnecting,” he continued.

 
“Cause I’ve had a big say and some control over the promotion, I’ve been allowed to get a shitload of my genuine fans into the venue, which I’m stoked about. And I appreciate the help of Brian to allow me to do so.”

 
“It’s about reminding me and everyone else in the venue of what I’m capable of producing on a good night.”

 
Despite having his next three fights tentatively scheduled, Tomlinson knows that nothing happens without a win.

 
“At the end of the day; it all comes down to May 20 and putting on a performance that I’m after,”

 
“Once I get the result – and a good win – only then will I look forward.”

 
 
Photo: Provided