Josh Stokes reckons that getting the rounds in will help him to prepare for the long haul.
He is part of the line-up for when BCB Promotions return to the Eastside Rooms, on Woodcock Street in Birmingham, with fight night set for Friday April 29.
Stokes has moved to 6-0, as a pro, and expects a seventh paid contest to be his last four-rounder, before he steps up to six rounds and then the title distances.
The unbeaten light heavyweight, from West Bromwich, has landed two stoppages among six wins, but went the distance for a fourth time in his last outing, on February 13.
He outpointed Stanko Jermelic by a points whitewash, referee Chris Dean scoring proceedings 40-36, on another BCB offering in Birmingham, at the H Suite in Edgbaston.
The 28-year-old from a four-year absence in December, flooring Jonathan Castano before forcing his retirement, at the end of just two rounds.
That made it back-to-back TKOs for Stokes, although the previous one was way back in September 2017, halting Raimonds Sneidze in round two, completing his debut year.
Three 40-36 points landslides preceded that in 2017 and make up the rest of his pro record, defeating Mitch Mitchell, Curtis Gargano and Richard Harrison.
Stokes clocked up over 50 bouts as an amateur, too, for Wodensborough Boxing Club and was a national champion in the 2011 Junior ABA Championships.
That has led to top-class sparring for this fight camp, sharing a training ring with Olympic silver medallist and Wodensborough alumni Benjamin Whittaker.
Stokes said: “I’ve known Ben since he was a kid, we both came through at Wodensborough and he’s gone on to become a top-class boxer, so the spars have been great stuff for me.
“He’s younger than me (Whittaker is 24), but I can still learn bits and bobs from him, because he’s competed at the highest level. The sparring has helped me out.
“I’m looking for this to be my last four-rounder, then I can go up to six and perhaps even 10 rounds from there. I think I’ll be ready for a title shot, by the end of this year.
“I was happy enough with my last performance. It was good to get the rounds in and practice a few things I’d been working on, such as my movement and defence.
“The opponent was a bit negative and was on the back-foot, so I had to go looking for him, but I felt relaxed and, obviously, it was a comfortable win for me.
“I’ve had the stoppages, but I don’t go in there looking for them. I try and box to the best of my ability. I take the attitude that if it comes, it comes.
“Things are starting to come together for me and it’s like I’ve never been away now. I just want to keep developing, until I’ve got the experience that I need.”
Tickets for the Eastside Rooms bill are available, priced at £40 standard or £75 VIP ringside with buffet, directly from the boxers or by visiting myfighttickets.com.
