NEWLY crowned North American Boxing Organisation (NABO) heavyweight champion Guyanese Andre `Stone' Purlette is on the verge of joining boxing's big league and has predicted that he will be another from the Land of Many Waters to win a coveted world title.

Fresh from a second round knock-out of Jeremy Bates last Friday, Purlette said that his eyes are set on multi-million dollar fights. Purlette will step back into the ring on December 1 when he attempts to add the World Boxing Council Inter Continental title to his collection. His opponent for that fight is not yet known.

Guyanese heavyweight Andre Purlette (left) pose with former heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis (centre) and legendary trainer Emanuell Stewart.

"After December we'll be looking for either Wladimir Klitschko or Mike Tyson. We are looking for the big dogs and multi-million dollar pay days," Purlette said via telephone from his home in Florida.

"We will be looking for a world title shot sometime early in next year. I'm confident that before next March Andre Purlette will be fighting for a world title and it will be a multi-million dollar bout," he claimed.

According to the power punching 27-year-old his recent victory will push him into the top 10 of the World Boxing Organisation of which Klitschko is the heavyweight champion.

"The NABO is affiliated to the (WBO) and by winning the NABO title I'll be ranked in the top 10 of the WBO. They will have to give me a break. I earned it," said Purlette.

"The message I want to send is that I'm a legitimate heavyweight. People sometimes frown on cruiserweights who come up to the heavyweight division but I have shown that I'm no hoax."

With the impressive credentials of 32-0-28 Purlette has been summoned to give glove work to former world champion Lennox Lewis who is preparing for a return bout with Hasim Rahman.

He said he plans leaving early next month for the Poconos Mountain in Philadelphia, where Lewis is training. "After the December fight I'll be coming back home for a short vacation. I have not been home in a while and I'm longing to be back."

The talented heavyweight is one of four Guyanese fighters to bring glory to their home country.

The party is led by WBA welterweight champion Andrew `Six Head' Lewis who became the first Guyanese to win a world title when he slammed James Page in February.

Undefeated cruiserweight Wayne `Big Truck' Braithwaite has steamrolled all opponents and will engage in a world title elimination bout next month. The baby of the quartet is junior welterweight `Vicious' Vivian Harris who also expects a world title shot next year.