Craig Whyatt plans to be the next big punching machine from Morden to wear the Lonsdale belt.

Whyatt makes his professional debut on manager Mickey Helliet’s show at The Coronet this Friday and has been inspired by his fellow Morden boxer Lenny Daws.

Daws won the British light-welterweight championship and defended it twice, a feat Whyatt wants to emulate after deciding to make the step up from amateur boxing.

“Lenny is one fit boxer,” said the 22 year-old electrician.

“He throws so many punches and just doesn’t slow down.

“I wish I could throw that many punches and maybe one day I will. I want to get to the top like Lenny has done and I’ve got time on my side.

“I could have stuck around in the amateurs trying to get an England call up, but my style was never really suited to the amateurs - I threw too many punches for the computer scoring.”

Whyatt won the vast majority of his 43 amateur bouts with the Fitzroy Lodge club where David Haye learned to box.

Having started boxing at 11, he is following in the footsteps of his brother Lee, who had a couple of paid fights.

“I’ve been watching boxing for as long as I can remember," he said.

“I loved watching Nigel Benn because he was so exciting, but Chris Eubank was always my favourite, he had charisma.

"He wasn’t like anyone else and when you watched him box, you never really knew what he was going to do next.

“I used to play football as well, but my heart was never really in it. All I ever wanted to do was box.”

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