He may have a degree in quantity surveying but Colm Murphy insists his full focus is on boxing for the foreseeable future.
The 22-year-old makes the first defence of his BUI Celtic featherweight title this weekend against Liam Gaynor on the big MHD XXV card at Girdwood Community Centre.
Murphy is only five fights into his burgeoning professional career, but believes there is no reason why he can't continue competing at the top level for the next decade.
Read more: Belfast boxer Joe Fitzpatrick announces retirement
That's his long-term ambition, but if his boxing career ends prematurely Murphy will have plenty of options to fall back on.
He said: "I have a degree in Quantity Surveying. I managed to get a 2:2 before I turned pro.
"I had also started a Masters in Construction Law, but I put that to the backburner after winning my title back in August.
"I want to go full forward on the boxing front, and I can still go back to that Masters degree. I don't think that path is done, because I don't like to quit anything.
"So that is something I will revisit at some stage.
"I did my degree at Liverpool John Moores University when I was an amateur boxer. I took full advantage of my time at university, and was also boxing as well.
"And then Covid came along and I trained by myself the whole way through and then I got the opportunity to turn pro.
"I think it is important to have something to fall back on. You don't know what lies around the corner in this boxing game.
"Anything can derail your career at any given time, especially when it comes to things like brain injuries. You need to be ready for a back-up, and I am very lucky I have a degree in something that is quite specialist.
"It will hopefully offer me plenty of opportunities when I retire from boxing."
Murphy made his pro debut in September last year and has raced to an unbeaten record of 5-0 in the space of 14 months.
He claimed the BUI Celtic title in his last outing back in August, out-pointing fellow Belfast boxer Ruadhan Farrell in a brilliant eight-round contest at the SSE Arena on the undercard of Michael Conlan's win over Miguel Marriaga.
It has been a rapid ascent for the emerging featherweight who has long-term ambitions in the fight game.
"For now, I am just following my heart and doing what I love," he added.
"And I am just taking each fight as it comes. That's all I can keep doing because it has been successful for me so far.
"I am 23 in January, but I didn't start boxing until I was 14 and didn't take it seriously until I was 17. So I have plenty of gas left in the tank.
"I can see myself still here in 10 years' time. Even in 10 years I will be younger than what Pody McCrory is now and he is world champion, so it shows you what can be achieved.
"I would love to fight for a British title in a few years, and I feel I can continue climbing in this sport.
"I have come a long way in a short space of time. I will just let my coach Dee Walsh and mentor Mark Dunlop sort out my boxing path."
Tickets for Saturday night's MHD XXV show are still available from Eventbrite - check out the link HERE - while there will also be tickets available on the door.
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