A DEAF boxer is looking to deliver a knockout blow when he steps into the ring this Saturday.

Chris Smith, who works for Royal Mail, will be putting his job to one side this weekend when he takes part in the first series of ‘Zero to Hero’.

The programme, which will be shown on Sky Sport, gives people the chance to train for a white collar fight (in which many participants have no prior boxing experience), which will be held at the Oasis.

Chris is one of 32 fighters on the card and ‘The Silent Assassin’, has not let his disability get in the way.

With the aid of an signing expert, Chris has been trained by coach Jason O’Grady, from Swindon Martial Arts Centre and has been raising money for the MS Therapy Centre, after his former girlfriend Sue Davis died 16 months ago.

Chris may be 45 but has lost eight lbs since joining the programme, and is ready to go on Saturday.

“I’m really into fitness and I know that a lot of people in Britain are very good at boxing, as it was shown at the Olympics, so it is something I wanted to try,” he said.

“This is now my ninth week and I have learnt a lot through fitness and food management and through other people.

“My girlfriend is really happy that I have lost the weight but she is complaining because my love handles have gone.

“To be honest I’m just going to be concentrating on my fight and my fitness before the fight.

“I am sure there will be nerves there but I am trying to put them aside and focus on the fight. If I didn’t feel confident I wouldn’t be here.”

O’Grady, who has a broad spectrum of fighting arts including obtaining black belts in Lau Gar kung fu, Sport Karate and Tae Kwon Do, will be as nervous as the 16 fighters he has been training when it comes to Saturday.

“Working with Chris has been brilliant for me,” he said.

“I already work with a deaf MMA fighter, who is good friends with Chris which is why he knew about the programme and Chris has jumped on board and committed to it 100 per cent “He is a perfect member of the team and you really see his ability, not his disability.

“Chris understands me very well and if I do struggle I have just got to take it very slow.

“One of the reasons I joined Zero to Hero is because the whole programme itself gives everybody a level playing field chance to have a go at something like boxing “We’ve got 16 people who just want to win and I will probably be more nervous than they are.”

For information about Zero to Hero and tickets for Saturday’s Oasis show see www.zerotoheroboxing.com.