Nico Michael has already broken through the pain barrier to get himself in optimum condition for his pro debut.
His introduction is set for when BCB Promotions stage a Friday fight night at the Park Inn Hotel, in Northampton town centre (Silver Street), on November 18.
He’s had to overcome an appendicitis since making the decision to punch for pay, after a final amateur appearance fell by the wayside.
Michael was supposed to be a part of the MTK Box Cup in August, only for the tournament to be cancelled, from which he then fell ill.
His amateur career concluded with nine wins from 13 bouts, having started out at Northampton Boxing Club, before moving on to Kings Heath BC.
The latter switch saw him move over to a pro-am establishment, bringing him under coach James Conway’s tutelage and they will work together again in the pro ranks.
The 27-year-old super flyweight, who grew up in Kingsthorpe, first become involved in combat sports through kickboxing and didn’t take up boxing until the age of 20.
Michael piled on the pounds, after having his appendix out, but has shed the weight at a similar pace, as part of a revamped training schedule.
He said: “It’s been a hard camp, mainly because of the weight that I’ve had to shift. Because I’ve been unwell, I did put it on, but I’m in better shape than I’ve ever been now.
“I had an appendicitis. I was watching Sam (Daly, stable-mate and fellow professional signed to BCB) box one day and, all of a sudden, my (right-hand) side started to hurt.
“I was walking around and it was still bothering me, so I went to see a doctor, who told me that I needed to have my appendix out, which meant a few weeks out of the gym.
“When I was ready to come back, I got in touch with a nutritionist (Jack Coak) that I’d seen on Instagram, working with Billy Joe Saunders (former world champion).
“I had about 8kg to lose, but we put together a nutrition plan that fuelled me up properly and was actually quite enjoyable. I wasn’t once tempted to go against it, even for chocolate!
“I’m an IT engineer and I work from home, a lot of the time, which helps me to plan my meals out and means I’m never far away from being able to train.
“I used to do kickboxing, when I was young, but I started boxing, when I was 20, and I’ve never looked back. I might have come into it late, but I believe in myself.
“Now I’m going to live the dream, of being a pro boxer, but I’m not just here to have fun. I’m fully focussed and I’ll be going in there to do a job, starting with my debut.
“I’m strong at the weight so, hopefully, I’ll be a heavy hitter at super fly. I can come forward or box on the back-foot, as required, and I punch correctly.”
Tickets for the Park Inn bill are available, priced at £40 for unreserved seating or £75 VIP ringside with buffet, directly from the boxers or by visiting myfighttickets.com
