Alex Arthur, the World Boxing Organisation's interim super-featherweight champion, will feed off the boom being enjoyed by the sport in Great Britain when he defends his title against the Englishman Steve Foster at Meadowbank Arena on Saturday night.

Arthur, 29, insisted yesterday that the sport's unprecedented level of success has added to his desire to emulate the feats of the country's growing band of world champions, in particular Joe Calzaghe, the undisputed king of the super-middleweight division.

The Edinburgh fighter also hopes that boxing's current high profile will help swell the attendance and ensure that Sports Network promoter Frank Warren does not carry out his threat to move away from the capital because of the locals' apparent apathy.

With a possible showdown for the full version of the crown against reigning champion Joan Guzman awaiting the winner, Arthur has vowed to stop Foster in his tracks.

Arthur said: "British boxing is booming like never before and I intend to be part of the success story. Joe Calzaghe is leading the way and I am glad to say that he is my hero and a close pal.

"Joe is a very hard act to follow but he texts me regularly, on occasion twice a day, and he tells me that I can do it. Joe is an inspiration to us all and I was absolutely delighted when he was voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

"But it is not just Joe who has British boxing on a high. David Haye winning the WBA and WBC cruiserweight titles and Gavin Rees being crowned WBA light-welterweight champion was also tremendous and Ricky Hatton did not disgrace himself."

Arthur is so desperate to get at Foster that he admits he has become positively hyperactive in the past couple of weeks after revealing: "I just can't contain myself. I keep getting rows from my training team for overdoing things in the gym.

"They keep telling me calm down and Paul Grey, who has been part of my boxing career since we were amateurs together at Leith Victoria, told me I was throwing 150 punches a round in training the other day.

"I can't wait to step into the ring knowing I will be able to release all this energy for real. I feel in my heart that I am going to stop Foster, but I would not take any fighter for granted, certainly not one who is an aggressive competitor."