GARVEY Kelly admits he is like a kid waiting for Christmas Day as he prepares to make his professional debut.

The 26-year-old Swindonian will make his first outing in the paid ranks on November 1 at the Oasis Leisure Centre.

And the Paddy Fitzpatrick-trained boxer, who has already seen his stable-mate Luke Watkins fight at Wembley Arena and in Germany on the undercard of a world title fight, just can’t wait to make his debut in his home town.

“As much as Luke fighting at Wembley was a great experience, this is perfect for me, to debut in Swindon, I have dreamed of it,” said Kelly, who is managed by European super-middleweight champion George Groves.

“My family live in Swindon, my friends live in Swindon, if I’m honest I want Kelvin (Young) has got, I want my community and my hometown to come out and watch me fight.”

When Kelly signalled his intentions to join the paid ranks back in the summer, the rangy fighter admitted that he needed to be more confident within himself.

But at the launch of the By Any Means Necessary, which sees super-middleweight Young and cruiserweight Watkins share top billing, last week, Kelly had an air of confidence around him.

“I think being at the back stage of Wembley, being at the press launch and having the training upped and upped I just believe it more,” Kelly said.

“I have been working so hard, I have been working hard for five or six years, but we have upped everything right now, right down to the mental aspect of the training just trying to improve.

“Whether it is being better at interviews or being better at throwing the jab, I just want to improve.”

Kelly says the press launch at a packed Oasis last week has helped make him feel that his pro career is more real.

“I’m buzzing, the press launch has just added to it,” he said. “I got the confirmation about a week ago and since then it has given me the extra push in the gym.

“I was running (last) Monday in the rain and the wind and it kept me going knowing that I’m fighting on November 1.

“ I’m a fanatic of boxing, I literally watch everything - the interviews, the press conferences, post-fight, pre-fight – everything.

“Being at the other side of the table for the first time was wicked, I was buzzing like it was the fight.

“It feels like Christmas Day and I have still got stuff to open.”