The lengths Waterlooville's Liam Wiseman has gone to make sure he starts life as a professional with a bang

The Waterlooville-based super welterweight has undergone a prolonged, gruelling 10-week camp under the guidance of trainer and father Daron Wiseman, as well as working with personal trainer and former pro fighter Dave Birmingham.

Wiseman, 19, says all the intense work over the past few months has put him in the best position possible to wow his army of travelling supporters when he faces Paul Cummings in a four-round contest at the famous York Hall venue on Saturday night.

‘I’ve pushed my body to the absolute limit, I’ve never trained so hard in my life, I’ve really got to make a statement Saturday to then go on elsewhere,’ said Wiseman.

‘With my personal trainer as well, Dave Birmingham, it’s absolutely killed me. We’ve been training since before Christmas, it’s been a bit of a longer camp than what it would usually be, but it’s my debut so I want to be 110 per cent.

‘I didn’t want to do eight weeks, I wanted to get a good 10-week camp in, obviously dieting and everything.

‘I don’t feel nervous, I don’t feel there’s a lot of pressure on me because my preparation has gone so well.’

When Wiseman steps into the ring to face Warminster-based Cummings - a fighter some 26 years his senior, aged 35 - it will end a wait of more than two years for a competitive bout.

The Team Wiseman gym member has been starved of action with the amateur scene wiped out up until recently because of the coronavirus pandemic.

But Wiseman believes an extended period out of the ring has only made him even more ‘hungry’ to make his mark after making the step up into the pro game.

He added: ‘It’s a different ball game. I’m fighting this lad, he’s 35 years old, he’s a well-skilled pro - it’s different now - I’m fighting men and not little boys anymore. This is a whole different competition.

‘I’m made for this. I’m not going to shy away or buckle under pressure because this is what I’ve trained for my whole life. This is me and my journey.

‘In my training I’ve been more dangerous, in sparring I’ve been hitting harder because I want it more. With Covid, I’ve had all this time taken away from me - especially over the past year - it’s made me more hungry to succeed in the sport.’