ELVIR Muriqi is hungry for a world title – and has told former light heavyweight champion Clinton Woods: ‘I’m ready for you.’

The American fighter –- born in Kosovo – is fully fired up for his scheduled bout with Woods at Hotel de France next month and is in no doubt that he can leapfrog his challenger to claim Chad Dawson’s IBF belt.

The world title eliminator fight is big business for both boxers – Sheffield fighter and IBF-ranked No 4 Woods will use the win to get at Dawson’s title, if he relinquishes the belt to chase a mega-money bout with Joe Calzaghe or Bernard Hopkins, but IBF-ranked No. 13 Muriqi is likely to stop at nothing to smash Woods’ hopes of a comeback and take the title for himself.

The 28-year-old Kosovo Kid (35-4-0, 22 KO) last fought and beat Jameel Wilson in January this year with a knockout in the fourth round, after losing on a marginal points decision to Antonio ‘Magic Man’ Tarver – the same man who relieved Woods (41-4-1, 24 KO’s) of his IBF light heavyweight title in April. That was Woods only defeat in a long professional career and ended his three-year reign as world champion – and he is aching to set the record straight by regaining his title.

Muriqi, who moved to New York from Kosovo in 1996, said: ‘I’ve been waiting to get going since I fought Antonio Tarver. My fans waited to see what I would do, and now we’re doing it. ‘My chance is coming. Somebody’s time has got to come, and the time of Clinton Woods, Roy Jones Jr, and Antonio Tarver has come. Now is the time of Elvir Muriqi and Chad Dawson. That fight will show who the true light heavyweight champion of the world is.’