New Zealand's Bowyn Morgan (17-1) will put his International Boxing Organization Asia Pacific Welterweight title on the line this Friday when he steps into the ring with Australia's Luke Woods (5-1).

The ten round contest takes place at the Hornby Working Men's Club in Christchurch, a location Morgan knows well having fought and won there on seven previous occasions.

Morgan's last outing in June at Shane Cameron's Fight Night in Auckland saw the 29-year-old claim the mantle of New Zealand's top welterweight after defeating Shay Brock via unanimous decision. Now that he has cleared the local field the Christchurch fighter has his sights set on offshore horizons.

'After Brock, I feel I've done everything inside N.Z. and would now like to venture out and put my name on the international stage," says Morgan.

This fight will be Morgan's first title defence after winning the belt last December when he stopped Indonesia's Stevie Ongen Ferdinandus in the third round.

The strap offers Morgan a pathway to more lucrative fights overseas, but he will first need to ensure he gets past Woods before he can begin contemplating his next moves.

Woods represented Australia at the 2010 Commonwealth games and has a strong amateur pedigree.

The 26-year-old turned professional at the end of 2016, and despite not having the same amount of professional experience as his opponent Woods still leaped at the chance to share the ring with one of Aotearoa's finest.

'I was wrapped when I was offered this fight. I instantly searched him [Morgan} up on Boxrec and went through his opponents who he'd boxed and watched recent footage of him and knew this was going to be a very tough fight. I'm very thankful for this opportunity,” says Woods.

'Styles make fights anything can happen in there so we are certainly prepared and will just take it one round at a time.”

Woods will carry a height and reach advantage over Morgan and will be looking to put these advantages to good use on the night.

'I have a long fighting style I like to keep my opponents on the end of my punches, but like I said I'll take it one round at a time, my style may have to change throughout the fight.”

Friday's fight will be the first time that Woods has fought in a 10 round bout, but it is not an issue that appears to concern him.

'I've put it in the hard yards and am in great condition and have a great mindset. I'm sure Bowyn has also put in 100 per cent to his fight prep, and in my opinion, this fight will be a ripper, and I have full respect to him and his team for the shot at his title.”

In the lead up to this fight, Morgan has been working with professional sports nutritionist Conrad Goodhew and will be looking to showcase the results of his work when he steps into the ring against Woods.

'Since working with Conrad my physique and energy output has really upgraded with the change of plan guided by Conrad.”

Morgan is now at the stage of his career where a loss could be a significant step back in his professional advancement. So while fans may view the Kiwi as the favourite, it is unlikely that Morgan or his team are approaching this fight with anything other than their full attention.

Tickets can be purchased for the event at http://www.dashtickets.co.nz