Appearing in his hometown means more than ever to Elite boxer Sam Larkin

The 28-year-old has been pencilled in to feature on one of the forthcoming shows at Colne Municipal Hall, scheduled towards the summer, and he can’t wait to be involved.

Larkin, who had been sparring with Commonwealth Games gold medallist Sean McGoldrick at the VIP Gym in Astley ahead of his debut win against Ricky Leach, has had the opportunity to fight at the venue taken away from him three times now.

“Dates have been pencilled in at Colne Muni for June and August,” he said. “That will give me chance to get a proper eight or nine week camp in for the summer.

“I want to get Colne back behind me. Hopefully, by then, I can step up to a six rounder. I just want to get going and put myself in to contention to fight for a belt at the end of the year.

“Fighting in my hometown means more to me now than it has ever done. What happened before was really frustrating but I’ve had to forget about that. I’ve been offered a slot on those shows and I’d be silly not to take it.

“It could all work out even better for me this way. I could go in to my home debut on the back of two wins. That’s even better than making my debut there, it’s a chance to get everyone back on side.

“I would be going there full of confidence and on a massive high. Everything happens for a reason and I’m glad it’s worked out this way.

“The atmosphere will be booming and that’s what I want. I want to get that shot at the Muni and get a good win there.”

The former Park High School pupil will be using that incentive as his main source of motivation going in to his second professional contest.

The 126lb fighter, who will have Elite Boxing’s Alex Matvienko in his corner, takes on journeyman Jamie Quinn at King George’s Hall tomorrow.

“I’m buzzing,” said Larkin. “It’s been really tough, two fights in the space of a month is a lot, but I’m ready to go. I’ve been training twice a day as well, working long hours, so I’ll be ready for a few days off after this.

“I know nothing about him because my opponent wasn’t announced until noon on Wednesday.

“I’m just confident that it will be the same outcome as my debut and it’s going to be a good atmosphere.

“I’ve watched a clip of him online. He looks big and strong, he can punch and he rarely gets stopped so he’ll be tough.

“He’s had more than 80 fights so he has that experience as well. I’ve been training hard and the camp has been good.”

Larkin has championed the philosophy ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ going in to ‘Fight Night’, hosted by Maree Promotions.

There hasn’t been a big enough window to tinker with any of his training methods, therefore he’ll be relying on the tried and tested techniques that served him well on his inaugural outing in the professional ranks.

“I haven’t changed anything,” Larkin said. “I’ll be approaching this one in the same way as my first. It’s pointless bringing anything new in at this stage with the fights being so close together. Everything has been the same - my training, diet and sparring.

“I just want to get my hand raised again and then I’ll be 100% ready for a week off. It’s been tough being on the road for my first two fights.

“At the moment I’m just getting in the ring and doing everything that I’m being told to do. I’ll be relaxed again, I think I shocked a lot of people with how well I handled the pressure last time. Everything just fell in to place and hopefully that’s what happens again.”

Sam would like to thank PKB Building and Roofing, Steptoes Yard, Unique Clean, Viverre Liberaire, Norpol Recycling, Mick Hughes Sports Massage, JOG Building Services, Intershape Fitness, The Asphalt Works, Shokwaves Barbers and DWE Building and Landscape Specialists for their ongoing sponsorship and support.