Edmonton boxer Ryan Charles is hoping to fulfil a dream by competing for St Lucia at this summer's Olympics.

The 25-year-old heavyweight will take part in the AIBA American Olympic Qualifying event in Brazil in May in Rio de Janerio where he will be representing the Caribbean Island of St Lucia which is the birth place of his mother.

Charles said: "Qualifying for the London 2012 games would feel like all my dreams come true and make me the first ever St Lucian boxer to compete in an Olympic games. That would mean everything to me.

"I am an underdog because there are a lot of experienced boxers who have had more than 100 fights compared to me who's only had about 20. But I'm going in there full of confidence because I've fought in international competitions before and I have improved.

"I fought the English National champion recently and if I had not been in my second fight of the night, and had gone in fresh, I believe I would have beaten him."

The 6ft 2in boxer was the 2008 English University champion and also won the 2009 British Universities and College Sports title. Charles was also the 2010 Haringey Box Cup champion at 86kg and won the Creole Games at 91kg in Guadeloupe. He was also runner-up in the London Northwest division ABA in the last two years.