James Moore (16-1) takes on the biggest challenge of his career this Saturday night when he fights Yuri Foreman (26-0) for the NABF light middleweight title at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.

The fight, which is the co-main event on the undercard of the Top Rank-promoted rubber match between Kendall Holt and Ricardo Torres, will see Moore battle the Brooklyn-based, Belarus-born 28-year-old in a 12 round contest to be televised live on Shobox, the boxing program offered on the Showtime network.

Foreman is ranked in the top 10 of three of the four boxing organizations (he is ranked 11 by the WBO) and is ranked as high as number four by the WBA. He grew up in Israel and is studying to become a rabbi, but there will be no holiday cheer on display between him and the 30-year-old Irishman, who are both hungry to get to the top.

Moore and trainer Lennox Blackmoore went to the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles for camp and returned to the East Coast last week.

While on the West Coast, Moore sparred with Scotland's Craig McKewan, a former amateur opponent who is now a 12-0 pro middleweight based in LA, and former light middleweight champion Roman Karmazin. Moore also sparred with Dublin light welterweight Dean Byrne to get rounds in with a fast opponent.

The key for Co. Wicklow native Moore will be to force his way into Foreman's face and stop him from boxing and staying on the outside.

"We have been working on hand speed. When we get inside we have to do something, so we have been working on combinations, making him miss and making him pay," Moore told the Irish Voice Monday.

Moore is under no illusions as to what doors this fight can open for him. "I think it is a great opportunity. It was a chance I couldn't pass up. One thing that might work in my favor is that they are looking past me; they are already planning their world title shot," he said.

Moore will head down to Atlantic City on Friday morning, and had this rather cryptic message for fans watching the fight this weekend. "Just keep a close eye on the fight this weekend, especially at the start of every round," he advised.

That said, Moore is sure of one thing. "I know I have to box at the best of my abilities to win."

Tickets can be purchased in Queens at Bar 43, 43-06 43rd Street in Sunnyside (718-361-3090), the Fiddlers Pub, 52-75 65th Street in Maspeth, or through Moore's adviser Barney Moore (no relation), 917-559-8467.