Unbeaten Ursu targets world title within a year

Constantin Ursu wants a world title shot within the next 12 months.

The unbeaten British welterweight champion told BBC South West: "I want to be world champion next year." The 26-year-old spoke as he plots the next step after a breakout seven months as champion BBC Sport.

Ursu has won all 16 of his professional bouts. Born in Moldova, he has been based in Plymouth since the age of 18 and now also holds the Commonwealth title.

He won the Lonsdale belt, the historic prize awarded to British champions, in March with a points victory over Owen Cooper. That win took his record at the time to 15-0.

He made his first defence in August. Ursu stopped Ben Vaughan in the eighth round by technical knockout, which means the referee stepped in to end the fight, to retain his belts.

There is no date yet for his second defence of the British title. Ursu says he wants to defend the Lonsdale belt twice more in order to keep it outright.

For fans, this means a short-term choice. He can stay on the domestic path and chase the belt outright, or jump sooner towards world level.

Ursu says he was offered IBO world title fights against Jack Rafferty. That claim comes from Ursu himself, and no fight has been signed.

The Plymouth man is clear about the direction. Keep winning. Move fast. Target a world champion next year.