Norfolk's Liam Walsh is to fight on the undercard of the controversial clash between David Haye and Dereck Chisora next month.

The heavyweights will meet in front of a full house at West Ham United's Upton Park ground on July 14, five months after their highly public brawl in Munich.

The fight has been sanctioned by the Luxembourg Boxing Federation as neither fighter holds a British Boxing Board of Control licence – and while the BBBoC will be angry that a show they condemned has been allowed to go ahead, for Walsh, there are two very simple reasons to be involved.

'I have to feed my family and I need to fight,' he said.

'If it was career threatening for me then I wouldn't be doing it – but I have to feed my family. I have to take this fight. I need the money.

'I've been out of the ring for 10 months, and my career has been put on hold.

'I am not blaming anyone for that – not (promoter) Frank Warren. I did get offered a fight just after Christmas, soon after my dad died, and I chose not to fight.

'But 10 months out is too long. I need to be fighting to get my career back on track and I need to be fighting to buy food for the family.'

Walsh last fought in September, when he made the second defence of his Commonwealth super-featherweight title against Paul Appleby in a classic encounter in the confines of the York Hall in Bethnal Green.

And while he has fought at Upton Park before, his return visit will be very different.

'It is going to be massive,' said the 26-year-old.

'The last time I came in it was six o'clock and light and there were only a couple of thousand people in there, but this time it is going to be mad. I think they have sold 35,000 tickets so I can't wait.'

Walsh puts his perfect 12-0 record to the test against former 36-year-old Italian and European Union featherweight champion Domenico Urbano – with the vacant World Boxing Organization (WBO) European lightweight belt on offer for the winner.

'He has won 25 of his 28 fights, he's never been stopped, never been knocked down, so he is tough,' said Walsh. 'He isn't coming here to lose.

'I am excited, with the bill and the stage – I just want to perform.'

It is Walsh's first outing at lightweight, and while a rematch with Appleby is also on the cards, the move up to the 9st 9lb ranks is suiting the Cromer man.

'My mood is much better because usually I struggle to make the weight,' he said.

'It's only 9st 9lb from 9st 4lb, but the last five pounds when you have nothing left is hard. But I feel I have trained a lot better.

'I still have some business at super-featherweight with Appeby, and I would love a crack at the British title.

'How possible that is going to be I don't know.'

In the meantime, Walsh is also preparing for a July 7 date in the corner when twin Ryan and older brother Michael fight on the Norfolk Showground bill in Norwich.

Tickets for the Upton Park show are available by calling 07920 114698.