Dean Sutherland has vowed never to return to the “very bottom” of boxing and believes the sacrifices he has made can propel him towards a major title.
The 25-year-old meets undefeated Welshman Sion Yaxley in his home city of Aberdeen on 11 May and is determined to prove he is “one of the best in Britain”.
Yaxley’s Celtic super welterweight belt is on the line, while the Beach Ballroom bout doubles up as a British title eliminator.
Sutherland has lost once in 17 professional fights, with that “devastating” defeat coming in a Commonwealth title showdown with Louis Greene in Aberdeen at the end of 2022.
“I have felt what it’s like to be at the very bottom,” he told BBC Scotland. “I don’t want to go back to that space ever again.
“I had the whole build up, the vacant title, a sell-out home crowd. Everything was all set up and it didn’t go my way.
“I will not be letting lightning strike twice.”
Sutherland has been victorious in the three outings since the Greene disappointment.
When fight night comes round, he will have spent 10 weeks in London, training at Churchill’s gym in Lambeth, sparring with top names like Ohara Davies and Denzel Bentley.
“I realised what I needed extra from my training and sparring was one of the big ones,” he said. “I am away from all home comforts, I am away from any distractions.
“I am down here to train the absolute best I possibly can, spar with absolutely the best I possibly can and continue to grow as a fighter.
“I have probably got 10 or 11 years maximum in the sport. I really want to grab it with both hands.”
Sutherland embarked on his professional boxing journey six years ago following a glittering kickboxing career.
“Anybody that has been in the gym with me and seen me sparring, the level of opponents I have been in with, can go back and say ‘yes, this kid is very talented’, but the big thing is I just haven’t shown it on fight night to the levels I know I can,” he added.
“When I am on my 10 out of 10 level, I am one of the best in Britain. I just need to start showing people that.
“It has always been my dream to win the Lonsdale Belt and this is a big step closer.”
