Nico Michael is going back to basics as he looks to make his mark before going for glory in the super flyweight division.
A next ring assignment comes at the Eastside Rooms, on Woodcock Street in Birmingham, where BCB Promotions are holding another fight night, on Saturday September 2.
Michael moves away from the Park Inn Hotel, in his hometown of Northampton, where all three of his pro victories have come so far.
The 28-year-old, who grew up in Kingsthorpe, turned over after a relatively short amateur career, which concluded with nine wins from 13 bouts.
He started out at Northampton Boxing Club, before moving on to Kings Heath BC, where a first meeting came with James Conway, who still trains him out of the Team Shoe Box gym.
Michael debuted in November of last year, outpointing Reiss Taylor on his bow. Further over-the-distance successes have come over Jake Pollard and Nabil Ahmed.
Pollard’s eye was bloodied, from the second round, due to a left hook, before he gave Ahmed – Michael’s last opponent in June – an inside track, operating as his manager.
Taylor also proved to be stubborn opposition, meaning that Michael has yet to record a four-round points whitewash, in the pro ranks.
He saw off Taylor and Pollard by a two-round margin, the final score-line reading 39-37, but Ahmed pushed him closer, squeezing past him through a point, due to a 39-38 verdict.
Michael said: “My training regime hasn’t really changed, since my last camp, and it’s stayed pretty solid. I’ve been getting ready, so let’s do this. I’m trying to stay active.
“It’s a new venue and city for me to fight in, so that’s given me a buzz to put on a bit of a show, not just for my fans, but for the other people that are there.
“My last performance was a tough one. He (Nabil Ahmed, opponent) was nothing like the videos that I had seen of him. I had to be on my game.
“I thought that I’d take him on, from the start, but I didn’t think that he’d come on so strong. I knew that he had come to win, so it kept me on my toes.
“In the first round, he caught me with a straight shot, but I was still on top. I slowed him down, with a left hand to the body, in the third, but he came out fighting for the fourth.
“He felt my shots, but fair play to him, for taking them so well. He certainly had a chin! It was a step up for me and I came through.
“I still speak to him, we trade messages on Instagram. He told me that, of all of the people that he’s boxed, I’d be in the top five, so I’ll take that as a compliment.
“I want to go back to what I was good at, as an amateur. That’s more of punching from angles, head and foot movement. I’ll work on my engine again and outpunch my opponent.
“I don’t want to jinx it, but this should be my last four-rounder. I’m keen to go for six next. The sky’s the limit, from there, and I’ll be looking at titles.
“At a same day weigh-in, I’ll be staying at bantam but, for championships, I can make super flyweight. I think that I can take over there.”
Tickets for the Eastside Rooms bill are available, priced at £40 standard or £75 VIP ringside, directly from the boxers or by visiting myfighttickets.com.
