Quigg is dreaming of world domination

4:52pm Thursday 28th February 2008

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WHILE most lads his age are preparing for a night on the town, Scott Quigg prefers to spend his Friday nights running up Holcombe Hill.

But unlike most lads his age, the 20-year-old wants to become one of the best boxers in the world.

After five victories out of five, Quigg's professional boxing career is still very much in its infancy - but that doesn't stop the super-bantamweight from dreaming of one day lifting a world title.

Bury-born Quigg, who moved into boxing after winning all there was in Thai boxing, realises there is plenty of hard work to be done before he can even think about a British title shot.

But the Collyhurst and Moston Lads Club fighter is using the spur of world glory as a tool to push himself through any challenge that comes his way.

"I have a vision," said the former Bury ABC fighter, who will make his television debut when he boxes again against an unnamed opponent at Manchester's George H Carnall Leisure Centre on March 14. "I want to win a world title one day and be remembered as a great. I set my goals high, then if I do fall short at least I fall higher than if I set my goals lower.

"I take each fight at a time, and I haven't planned any routes to the top because I wouldn't want to get ahead of myself.

"I just want to learn from every fight and make sure that, when a world title shot comes along, I am ready to grab it with both hands.

"I have been told that I am probably ready for a British title shot now, but I want to gain experience and work at it slowly."

Quigg's gruelling training routine sees him in the gym up to five days a week, including a daily session on the weights and a six-mile run in the early evening.

Such commitment to a physically demanding sport has seen many promising fighters fall by the wayside, but you won't see Quigg shirking at the workload. In fact, he positively thrives on it.

"People don't realise what goes into a day's training for me," said Quigg. "I am never in a comfort zone.

"If you want to be special, you have to make yourself physically exhausted and push yourself all the time. You have to dig deep if you want to get that bit fitter or sharper.

"You have either got the ability to do that or you haven't. You can't buy it. If you can't dig deep in training, how are you going to find that bit extra in a really tough fight?"

Quigg does not drink or touch junk food. He has thrown himself 100 per cent into his dreams, and his only relief is watching his beloved Manchester United.

Another thing driving Quigg on is fear. Not the fear of the other boxers - but a fear of losing.

"I am not scared off anyone, but I do fear losing," he admitted. "That's why I train so hard. You have to knock me out to stop me coming at you. I hate losing.

"I was reading the Boxing News before my second fight against Shaun Walton and I saw a picture of Shaun, and he looked like a man compared to me. He looked tough, so I went out for a run and pushed myself even harder. I had that fear inside of me getting beat.

"I thought it was going to be a tough fight, and that brought the best out of me. As it turned out, I was the first person to knock him out and he hated that. He wanted a re-match, and I beat him again."

It is a big year for Quigg. He is gaining a good reputation in these parts, but admits he wants word of his ability to spread even further by the end of the year.

"I am well known in the North-west," he said. "By the end of the year, I want people in London and places like that to know about me. I want to be still unbeaten after 12 or 13 fights, and then I can maybe think about a British title shot by the end of next year."