DARREN Tetley will rise above the mind games as he attempts to bring a European title back to Bradford tonight.

The unbeaten welterweight from Holme Wood faces the biggest fight of his boxing career when he challenges for the vacant WBO European title at Elland Road.

And Tetley has laughed off the trash talk of Ellesmere Port opponent Mason Cartwright, who has tried to affect his focus by promising the Bradford boxer a “long, painful night”.

Tetley said: “Maybe he’s trying to get in my head but I can assure you it’s not working.

“I know it’s part of boxing and being involved in a big fight. But the stuff he’s saying doesn’t bother me.

“I’m being deadly serious but every time he says something, the more confident I feel.

“I don’t even know if he means it but he’s just trying to get in my head. I’m the wrong person to try that with because it won’t work.

“He thinks I’ll lose focus and get dragged in it with him. But I’m not like that and never have been.

“If he wants to say he’s going to do this and that, then let him carry on. But he’s going to look a bit silly when I win tonight.”

An outdoor crowd of well over 20,000 is expected for the televised show headlined by Leeds favourite Josh Warrington.

Southpaw Tetley, who has won all 15 fights since moving up from an illustrious amateur career, believes he could not have prepared better.

He added: “Training-wise, everything has been perfect.

“I’ve done all the hard work in the gym and stuck to a diet for the first time since I’ve ever been boxing. There’s been no cheating.

“I’ve enjoyed the build-up and being involved in a big fight and I’m ready to go to work now.

“It’s a massive show and not many people get to fight in a stadium, let alone for a title.”

Tetley admits he has pictured the scene of winning a belt that would catapult him into the reckoning to fight for the British crown.

He wants to dedicate victory to his boxing-mad grandad Ernie, who died last month.

“When I’m driving into training on my own, I’ll have certain songs on and will visualise the moment when I win,” said Tetley.

“My grandad sadly passed away. I wanted to win more than everything before that but now I want to do it for him.

“When I think about the fight, I picture me stopping him (Cartwright) and then the emotion of losing my grandad comes out. I don’t think it’s hit home yet.

“But I’m just focused on the fight and winning that belt. That’s what he’d be telling me if he was here.

“I’ve been asking for a title fight, a TV fight, for the last two years. Now I’ve been given that opportunity.

“I need to take it with both hands and prove that this is the level I belong at.”

The Elland Road bill is live on BT Sport 1 from 7.30pm. Tetley v Cartwright is expected to be first on.