Alex Kenton has been competing in the sport of Muay Thai since the age of 11 and has competed internationally on behalf of the UK.
Kenton can become the UK no.1 in the Muay Thai bantamweight division this Saturday. The 22-year-old faces current holder Tyree Stevens, and believes he has the tools to beat him.
"He's quite good all round, and he's fit and strong as well. You can see that when he fights, but I think I'm going to be too slick for him. I have got too many tricks up my sleeve, and I think I have a better head on me and can just take a shot better."
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Kenton also believes his upcoming opponent doesn't have what it takes to compete at the top level and is failing to perform against his previous internationally recognised opponents.
"I can't find much footage on the fights he had last year, but I've looked into the opponents he's faced, and they aren't great. He is Thai boxing kickboxers. It's not as if he is going in against top-level opponents.
"Every time he has faced top opponents, he's fallen to bits", Kenton said.
"Aaron McGahey, who is in the world rankings, now picked him apart and made him look daft. I think it might just be the level of opposition."
The Titanium Combat Academy fighter believes a win on Saturday will open the door to an internationally ranked opponent and a chance for himself to break into the rankings.
"Fighting someone in the world rankings is my next step; I'm not one to step backwards. It's always about stepping up for me; I'm not going to go back and fight random fighters or take fights with random opponents on short notice.
"I've got names that I want," the Huyton native added.
Pushing ahead, Kenton says he plans to stick to the three to four fights per year plan that he maintained in 2022 and 2021.
"Four fights would be good. With the names in my head, I am hoping I get at least three fights in this year, maybe four if the right one comes up.
"I like staying active. I don't like having too much time off. I get bored, staying in camp keeps me occupied, and I like staying in the gym. I've been around it for that long it's just a part of my life now, Monday to Friday.
"I don't want to look past him, so I will see how it goes on Saturday and go from there."
The sport of Muay Thai is still in its development stage in the UK; therefore, its athletes are not the most well-paid for a sport that requires such dedication. Kenton, well aware of this, is already assessing his options of how he can make the most of his health and his fighting career by using the skills he has developed to become such a dedicated fighter.
"I know it's not the most lucrative sport. I enjoy working in the gym; if I can earn a wage out of personal training, it means I can be in the gym more and work my days around that. That is something I am aiming for."
According to Kenton, a transition into the sport of MMA is on the table. The fighter believes it is very possible in the next five years, he will have transitioned to the sport that has become so popular in the city of Liverpool in the past decade.
"Unless the right opportunities come my way (in Muay Thai), yeah, I am interested in it. Unless I can find my way into ONE Championship and getting paid big money like Jonathan Haggerty, then I'd stick with Muay Thai. I'm good at this, and it's my life.
"In five years' time, I will have hopefully have had a WBC (Muay Thai) belt around my waist and then possibly move over to MMA; that's in a perfect reality.
"I've always had conversations about it being time to move over (to MMA), and I have done the grappling now and again. I enjoy it. It's a nice change from being hit in the face all the time."
A chance to be a national and internationally ranked fighter in any sport is one many couldn't even fathom. Kenton's ambition will undoubtedly bring him success in whatever sport he is competing in.
