More than a thousand spectators are expected to descend on Clearwater Beach tonight to watch Teresa Perozzi defend her world title belt against feisty and undefeated American challenger Roselin Morales.

Perozzi, the North American Boxing Council world champion, and her 35-year-old opponent from New York met for the first time yesterday on a wind-swept Front Street for the official weigh-in ? though the snarling and posturing that often accompanies these occasions was instead replaced by a friendly handshake and a smile between the two.

Morales was the first on the scales and weighed in at just over 156 pounds, while after a nervous few seconds Perozzi weighed in at exactly 160 pounds ? the limit for middleweight boxers.

The cordial nature of yesterday?s proceedings will be conspicuous by its absence tonight, however, when the two go toe-to-toe in the East End, with Morales confidently predicting that she will get the better of her opponent and finish the night by holding the NABC belt aloft.

?I?m sure I can win,? she said.

?I?ve never seen her fight but I?ve looked at her results on the Internet and talked about her strengths and weaknesses with a few reliable sources.

?I?ve got a game plan and if I stick to it, there?s no doubt in my mind that I?m going to win. I know the crowd will all be cheering for her and there could be a lot of noise.

?But I never let those sort of things bother me in the ring. I just get on with what I have to do and that?s it.?

Morales, a massage therapist and former bodybuilder, has won every one of her five fights since turning professional in 2003, including a points victory over Monica Nunes from the Dominican Republic, a fighter who surprisingly beat Perozzi two years ago.

The champion, meanwhile, who was looking relaxed and in good shape yesterday, admitted she was expecting ?a very tough fight?.

?I?m feeling fresh, fit and confident and I cannot wait for the fight to get underway,? she said.

?I?ve not seen her fight before but I get the impression from her results that we could be pretty evenly matched.

?But training has gone according to plan and I?ve done everything that I can to get myself in a position to win. We?ll just have to wait and see.?

Ringside seats cost $50, regular admittance is $40 while all those under 15 will get in for $20.

Tickets can be bought at Sports R? Us, Secrets and Hair Fantasy or in advance at www.ucgboxoffice.com.