Thursday 31 August 2017 11:44, UK
As Ted Cheeseman prepares for his 10th fight as a professional, he explains how, at just 22, he has a significant march on his domestic rivals.
The Bermondsey fighter will take on Italian Francesco Lezzi this Friday night at London's York Hall as part of the latest edition of the NXTGEN series, to be shown live on Sky Sports Action.
Cheeseman has flown up the ranks since making his debut two years ago and 'The Big Cheese' lit up The O2 last time out when he emphatically stopped Matthew Ryan to claim the English super-welterweight title.
It marked the seventh win inside the distance for the London prospect and with a British title shot well in sight, the 22-year-old admits that he has progressed quickly.
I'm three years younger than the next youngest in Britain's top 15 and sitting sixth in the British rankings - that's not bad.
Speaking exclusively to Sky Sports, he said: "I did really well in my last fight and it was good to get the exposure under the lights, but there was still a lot to take back to the gym and improve on.
"From being an amateur to now, I've always been spiteful and just wanted to go in there and excite the fans by getting a knockout. Now, I've mixed that with boxing and staying calm and I can feel myself improving all the time.
"I know I've been managed well and have had the right opponents at the right time, but it's still important to perform better and impress every time to show the level I'm at.
"It's great to be fighting again at the York Hall because it's easy for your support to get lost in the big arenas when fighting very early, but in the famous 'smaller' venue, everyone is on top of you and it makes for a great atmosphere."
'The Big Cheese' points to his amateur pedigree as the reason for his quick rise in the paid ranks and the super-welterweight now believes a shot at the coveted British title is well in his reach.
He continued: "As an amateur, I had 61 fights and won 50 of them, picking up 6 national titles and I would always fight the best, even at the shortest of notice.
"I didn't make the GB squad and maybe it was a blessing in disguise as now I am so far ahead for my age.
"If you look at the top 15 in Britain in my division, other than me the youngest fighter is 24, so I'm three years ahead of the next youngest and sitting sixth in the British rankings - that's not bad.
"I'm there now and waiting for my British title shot. I am 22 so I don't want to go too quick but it's good to have the feeling that I'm there in the mix and can get a shot soon."
Friday's NXTGEN bill will be streamed first on the Sky Sports website and the Sky Sports Facebook page, before TV coverage begins at 7.45pm.
Watch the NXTGEN card involving Buatsi, Okolie, Benn, Cordina and more, live from York Hall on Friday, via our live stream and Facebook live and on Sky Sports Action, from 7.45pm.
