Age first started boxing: 21.

First boxing memory: Aside from watching boxing on the telly, the first time I ever went to the gym. I went down just to keep fit. I wanted to be a footballer at first.

Inspiration: My Irish people. I want to make them proud – we’ve been down for over 100 years!

Favourite all-time fighter: It’s a long list! Barrera and Morales, Micky Ward, Wayne McCullough and Steve Collins. Also, a special mention has to go to both Rafael Marquez and Emanuel Augustus.

Best fight seen: Oh, wow! Gatti-Ward 1 was

special. The Marquez-Vazquez trilogy.

Pre-fight meal: I like a lot of carbs. I love bread!

What do you do to relax: I just watch the telly or I go on the web-cam with my fiancée, who lives in the States – We’re getting married next July.

Pre-fight superstitions: None. But I have a lot of faith and I pray a lot.

What training do you do between fights: I train every day anyway. I just go to the actual gym three days a week instead of five when I have no fight coming up. The other days, I’ll go cycling or swimming or something. I’m a fitness fanatic.

Typical breakfast: Something light, usually cereal.

Toughest part of being a boxer: The discipline, doing the same thing every day.

Favourite music: I like anything from progressive house, to Oasis and Coldplay and Brit-pop stuff, to Hip-Hop and Irish rebel songs.

Last book read: Ten Men Dead – it’s about the hunger strikers.

Favourite film: Some Mother’s Son – also about the hunger strikers. It’s very powerful.

What car do you drive: A 1997 Peugeot 1.1 litre.

Where do you train: All over the place. Rhino gym in Dublin, Bracken Boxing Club, Dublin and Breen’s in Belfast.

Training routine: I run about three times a week. I can’t do any more because I have sore knees from when I played football. I do two to three hours in the gym on an evening. I start off with a solid hour of shadow boxing, then I do the pads, spar and then I finish off with skipping and maybe more shadow boxing. I try to do six rounds

sparring a day.

Toughest man faced: Chill John. He was a tough, gutsy fighter. It was a toe-to-toe battle.

What supplements do you take: Multivitamins, and I also take something for my bad knees.

Job outside of boxing: I’m a PE school teacher.

Last place you went on holiday: The States, to visit my fiancée.

Favourite football team: Celtic, without a doubt.

Best boxer in the sport today: Manny Pacquaio. I would’ve said Floyd Mayweather had he not retired, though.