It may not be the greatest sacrifice an elite athlete has ever had to make but, for Sam Hickey, restraining himself from the deluge of junk food at his fingertips over the Christmas period was no mean feat.
And factor in that Hickey turned 25 last weekend too, his willpower has been tested to the full when it’s come to shunning any celebrations.
Such discipline was, however, a necessary evil given the proximity of his second professional boxing fight to the festivities and Hickey admits it’s a sacrifice he was more than willing to make as he endeavours to build a pro career that will, he hopes, take him to the very top of his sport.
This evening, Hickey will take on Welshman Lewis Howells in Sheffield on the undercard of the Callum Simpson v Steed Woodhall headline fight and the Scot is desperate to ensure that the restrictions he placed on himself over the past month will all be worth it.
“I did have to watch what I was doing over Christmas, and that was hard because I spent 10 days at home in Scotland,” says the Sheffield-based middle-weight.
“I was with all my family and they had the huge tubs of Quality Street and Mini Heroes lying around and I like, ‘come on, I’m trying to make weight here!’ So that was quite tough. I trained on Christmas morning but I did manage to have a decent Christmas dinner, so it was a good day.
“I couldn’t celebrate my birthday last week either, but that’s just what you have to do when you’ve got a fight coming up.”
Having turned professional last summer, he made his pro debut in October, comfortably notching up his first win with defeat over Columbia’s John Henry Mosquera.
This evening will provide a stiffer test for Hickey, with his opponent boasting a 3-1 winning record but that kind of challenge is exactly what the Dundonian is looking for.
“Howells has a winning record and he's got a bit of ambition as well so you've got to be on it with these guys and you can't afford to slip up because they’ll take advantage,” Hickey says.
“But that’s what I want, I want to go up against someone who wants to try and win.
“I've got about 150 people coming to watch so I want to put on a good performance.
“And if I'm not beating people like this in my second fight then I’d need to really think, what am I doing this for? So I’m confident.”
Already, Hickey is noticing a perceptible difference in the mindset required in the pro ranks in comparison to the amateurs.
No longer is there any room for occasional slip-ups or sub-par performances.
For the 25-year-old, who has long-term ambitions of challenging for world titles, he’s fully aware of the increased pressure every time he steps into the ring, but he’s also got the mentality that, he believes, can cope with the shift.
“Professional boxing really is a lot different to the amateurs. Every fight is very important so you need to give each opponent the respect they deserve,” he says.
“There is that bit more pressure because it just matters more in the pros.
“When you’re an amateur, if you get beat in a multi-nation tournament in a gym hall in the middle of nowhere, nobody really cares as long as you're performing well.
“But if you don't perform well and you get beat in the pros, you're back to square one.
“I’m okay with that pressure, though.”
Hickey couldn’t be in better hands as he tries to forge his way in the professional ranks.
Coached by the performance director of GB Boxing, Rob McCracken, who has trained the likes of former world heavyweight champion, Anthony Joshua, will, believes Hickey, help mould him into the world title contender he’s aspiring to become.
“I’m learning all the time under Rob McCracken and adjusting my style a wee bit here and there so hopefully over the next few years you'll see a complete fighter,” he says.
“The good thing about being out so early in the year is I can hopefully have a busy 2025.
“The plan is to keep stepping-up and fighting different kind of opponents. I’ll hopefully get four or five fights this year and hopefully, touch wood, no injuries.
“With it being my first official year as a pro, I just want to be active and work my way up the ranks. And learn a good bit as well, that's the plan.”
