SCOTT Quigg will be getting a little help from his friends at Bury Football Club when he defends his WBA Intercontinental title against Franklin Varela at Castle Leisure Centre on Saturday.

A number of Shakers players will be in attendance to cheer on the super-bantamweight, with striker Ryan Lowe expected to take the 22-year-old’s belt into the ring.

Quigg topped up his fitness with some pre-season training at the football club last week, and he is excited by his link-up with the Gigg Laners.

“Either Ryan or Efe Sodje will be taking my belt into the ring and it means a lot to me that they are so supportive,” said Quigg, who could land a crack at the WBA world title with victory over the 33-year-old Venezuelan.

“I can’t wait to get into the ring now. I feel fit, sharp and strong.”

There is plenty at stake against Varela, with Quigg’s next fight being confirmed as a British title clash with Jason Booth in Bolton on October 8.

And it will also be the first time that the Bury man will be without former trainer Brian Hughes in his corner, with the 71-year-old retiring from his role as head coach at Collyhurst and Moston Lads Club in March.

“It will be strange for me,” admitted Quigg. “Brian has trained me for the last four years so it would be stupid to think it won’t be in the back of my mind.

“I know it will be different but I can still draw on the many things Brian has said to me over the years.

“I want to win the fight for him. I spoke to him on the phone a few weeks ago and he said that I am his last great champion so I want to go and win a world title to prove him right.

“Pat Barrett is now my head coach, with help from Darren Phillips and Mike Jackson, and I am enjoying that.”

Quigg sees his latest fight as a defining moment in his career – and is determined not to let the Venezuelan greengrocer upset the apple cart.

“This fight is crucial in the context of my career,” he said. “If I win I will go on to bigger and better things whereas if I lose people will think I am not as good as the hype surrounding me.

“It is make or break in a lot of ways but I am ready for it. I know what to expect from Varela, he is a typical South American fighter.

“He is aggressive, but also smart with it. He can be unpredictable so it is wise to expect anything and then I won’t be surprised.”

Tickets for Saturday’s fight at the Castle Leisure Centre are priced between £35 and £75 and are available from www.brandhatton.com or by phoning 0844 847 2500.