WHEN Luke Watkins first walked through the door of Paddy Fitzpatrick’s Ferndale Road gym, the idea was to just shed a few pounds Then aged 18, Watkins was heavily involved in team sports. He played football for New College Academy and ice hockey for Swindon Wildcats.

But there was always something lacking for the Duke.

On Saturday night, he will make his professional debut in the squared circle at Wembley Arena, it will be the start of a long journey that both he and his trainer Fitzpatrick hope will see him climb to the very top of the 200lb division.

And with the 24-year-old facing David Vicena, a former opponent for of current IBF world cruiserweight champion Yoan Pablo Hernandez, on Saturday night, Watkins is staying calm and relaxed as he explained how he left team sports behind for one of the most unforgiving of activities –pugilism.

“I used to play quite a lot of team sports,” Watkins told the Advertiser. “I played a lot of football but I have always been a bit selfish.

“It was the same with the ice hockey, I probably spent five years on and off with the Wildcats, it is a sport I still enjoy, but I was finding being part of team wasn’t for me.

“I wanted individual glory. It only took two people on a team to play badly and you could lose, but with boxing if you put the hard work in then the rewards should be yours.”

When Watkins first got involved in boxing he used to hang around the gym to watch the classes and it was observing what other people were doing that got him noticed.

“I used to hang around after my training and started to copy what was going on in the classes on the bag,” said Watkins, whose debut bout is on the undercard of his manager George Groves’ European super-middleweight title fight with Christopher Rebrasse.

“By doing that they used to ask me if I wanted to get involved with the classes and it just went from there.

“At first I didn’t really speak to Paddy, I was just getting involved with the classes and the amateurs.

“After a few fights in the amateur ranks I knew that boxing was for me and now we are just a few days away my first professional fight – it is unbelievable.”

Away from the ring and training, Watkins, a man who has confidence in abundance, admits that he is somewhat relaxed.

“I’m pretty lazy when it comes to a Saturday night, I just want to relax at home, catch up with what sport has been on and chill,” the self-confessed Liverpool fan said.

“I just want to enjoy spending time with my friends and family – they are so important.

“This week has been pretty quiet for me you know. All the training is done, all the preparation is finished we are now just gearing up for fight night now.”