DANNY Bharj insists that he is mentally prepared to make his professional debut after years away from the sport.

The 25-year-old former Walcot amateur signalled his intentions to move into the paid ranks around four years ago.

However, the ex-England international admits he needed to walk away from the sport he had been competing in since the age of eight.

Despite winning multiple ABA junior titles and gold medals for his country, Bharj wanted to be like any other normal young man – enjoying life and going out with his friends.

And while he had a talent for the pugilistic art, he admits that he wasn’t giving it his full attention.

But as his professional bow in the squared circle nears on the ‘World Awaits’ bill at the Oasis Leisure Centre on Friday, February 13, Bharj says that his time away from boxing gave him an insight into the person that he didn’t want to be.

“When I signed a few years ago, my head wasn’t in the right place,” said Bharj, who is managed by KM Promotions’ Keith Mayo.

“I started when I was eight-years-old and I never had a break. I was always in the gym and my mates were out, and I had to sacrifice a lot.

“I needed a break - I only wanted to take about a year out but after a year, I fell into the same routine of being lazy and going out with my mates.

“I’ve just realised that was a good thing because after stopping training and doing what I had been doing, it was definitely not the life that I want to live.”

Having returned to the gym, Bharj, says he cannot wait to step between the ropes in his hometown.

He will face Bristol’s Harvey Hemsley over six two-minute rounds and says that while he will return at light-welterweight (10 stone), his future lies at lightweight (nine stone nine).

“I’m light-welter at the moment, I’m not killing myself to make that,” he said. “I’m living healthy and eating healthy. I’m about one pound off the light-welterweight limit.

“So I if I get to fight for titles, it will be at lightweight – I could more than likely do that.

“I’m living the life now. I’m eating right, training twice a day and putting in the work.

“I’m feeling really sharp in sparring. I’m feeling like I was when I was an amateur winning titles and boxing for England.

“I feel like I have got that sharpness back. It is brilliant. I’m buzzing and I can’t wait to get back in there.”

Kelvin Young, who was originally slated to face James Childs, will now take on Joe Walsh at the Oasis.