St Ives puncher Bradley Smith is confident he can form another successful alliance with trainer Steve Whitwell.

Lightweight Smith had a fine amateur career under the guidance of the St Ives Boxing Academy supremo and has now returned to form part of the club’s growing professional stable.

Smith was trained in London by Barry Smith – the man plotting the career of WBA continental super lightweight champion Tommy Martin - when making a successful professional debut back in July, but a lack of finance forced him to turn his back on the bright lights of the capital and return to his roots.

Smith is now working hard for the family roofing firm while fitting in six training sessions and three lots of sparring each week ahead of his return to the ring on October 17.

He said: “I couldn’t make it pay in London and that’s why I’ve gone back to training locally.

“I was coming home at the weekend with only a couple of quid to my name and having to borrow money off my mum.

“I’m working for my dad now and I’m still working hard to get my foot on the boxing ladder.

“I know Steve well and I’m confident I can have success with him just we did in the amateurs. There are some quality boxers at the gym and I’m learning a lot from guys like Tyler Goodjohn.”

Smith’s next opponent is Northern Irish journeyman Alec Bazza, who has lost nine of his 10 fights, at the York Hall in Bethnal Green.

He launched his paid career at the same venue earlier this summer when seeing off tough Bulgarian scrapper Ivailo Boyanov on points.

Smith added: “I don’t know much about Bazza to be honest. I’ll leave it to Steve to come up with the gameplan and I’ll execute it on the night.”