Heavyweight boxer Tommy Welch has admitted he could not ask for anything better as he prepares for his professional debut tonight.

The 25-year-old from Brighton is the son of former heavyweight champion Scott Welch.

He will make his debut in Redditch as part of the undercard for the fight between Sam Eggington and Ashley Theophane, live on Channel 5 with coverage starting at 10pm.

Welch will fight in a four-round contest against West Bromwich’s Matt Gordon and he admits it is beyond his wildest dreams.

He said: “I couldn’t have really for asked for anything better than this set-up.

“I am over the moon to be honest, this is my dream and it is coming to reality.

“So, I just need to give the performance we expect and get everything rolling the way we want it to.”

Welch will have his dad Scott in his corner, as he is his trainer and mentor.

Scott, who was nicknamed The Brighton Rock, had a professional career that spanned over seven years, in which he had 26 fights, winning 22 and losing four.

With Welch just starting out in his professional career, he knows how vital his dad’s experience will be.

He said: “From an outside perspective it sounds and looks great, but for me, it is just what I am used to.

“But having his experience there is great.

“Between having him I have tried and tested a few other guys, but I can see that experience prevails and it really overpowers everything else.

“The difference that I see from my father and the other guys training, is we really know what we are doing and that is the main thing.”

Scott revealed a bit more about his son, Tommy and the potential he has.

He said: “He was a junior champion but he has been out in the wilderness.

“He fell out of love with the sport and came back here and there for fights.

“But was never really training properly, so he never fulfilled his potential.

“Since we had lockdown, he said he wanted to have another go, which we didn’t think too much about.

“Then literally his focus has really come alive again and he has really shown enormous potential and now he wants to prove what he can do.”

Scott also explained what is next for Welch?

He said: “The plan is just to get him out and fighting as regularly as possible.

“I know the game as I have been in it for years, so we are not looking at titles.

“We are looking at getting the experience behind him and then the titles will come.”