LOCKDOWN may have taught Mickey Ellison not to take anything for granted but one thing that hasn’t changed is his refusal to take a backward step when facing difficult opponents.

The Darwen fighter returns to action in September when he takes on Irish super middleweight champion Padraig McCrory – a fight he says is his toughest test to date.

But the 29-year-old, who is a mandatory challenger for the English title, knows victory could lead to bigger and better things and it is a high risk, high reward approach that he is comfortable with.

Ellison competes on a five-fight behind-closed-doors show in Wakefield on September 1 that will be screened on ESPN in the US and YouTube channel iFL TV in the UK.

“I have always said I want to go in with good fighters because I always want to test myself,” said Ellison. “What is the point of fighting so-called journeymen, you learn nothing about yourself.

“This is a dangerous fight, probably my toughest yet but I am happy with that.

“McCrory is an Irish champion and my biggest challenge yet. It’s a 50/50 fight which either of us could win and that does not bother me. I have to see what I am capable of.

“I would rather fight a good fighter and if I get knocked out then at least I know what my abilities are.”

But Ellison has no intention of losing or being knocked out.

Having trained under Alex Matvienko at Elite Boxing in Bolton, Ellison is now working with MTK Manchester who have a gym in Lostock Hall, Preston under the guidance of Johnney Roye.

And on his last outing – his second fight under his new coach – Ellison dismantled and destroyed the dangerous Christian Kinsiona inside 90 seconds at the Magna Centre in Rotherham in early March. The fight came just before the coronavirus pandemic sent the UK in to lockdown.

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It proved to be a time of reflection and reassessment for Ellison who has two young sons, Rocco, three, and two-year-old Rudy.

“It’s strange how it takes something like this to make you realise you shouldn’t take things for granted,” said the joiner who joined the ranks of furloughed staff up and down the country.

“I used to work, train, come home late and spend time with the family.

“Now that I am not working, I am spending a lot more time with the family, time I wouldn’t have had before the pandemic. It’s something I wouldn’t change for the world.

“It makes you realise you shouldn’t take things for granted and how important the simple things can be.”

From a boxing point of view, lockdown came at the right time.

“I had only just fought so was at the very start of my fitness programme and preparation for my next fight,” he added. “I took a couple of weeks off like I always do after a fight and I got a bag to put up in my garden.

“So I just concentrated on my weights, using the bag a bit and doing plenty of running.

“It was a bit difficult to start with because we are creatures of habit and we like routines and suddenly the structure had gone.”

Classed as an elite boxer on account he earns money from the sport, Ellison has been back in the gym for the last few weeks preparing to take on Belfast’s McCrory who beat Steve Collins Jnr – son of the legendary Irish two-weight world champion – to win the BUI Celtic super middleweight title last August.

Had circumstances been different he could well have been preparing for a shot at the English title as he was due to fight the winner of the bout between Zak Chelli and Jamal Le Doux which is yet to go ahead.

But he says that can wait.

“As far as I am concerned, I am next in line for a shot at the English title,” said Ellison who boasts a record of 12 wins and two defeats. “That may come in December but is more likely to be next year. But my focus is now on McCrory. This is a hard fight but victory could lead to bigger and better things and those are the sort of risks I am happy to take.”