Despite being thrown in at the deep end, the 23-year-old insists he is delighted as he believes he has faced far greater foes than he will face in the ring. Stevens, who enjoyed an exhibition bout against Mitch Mitchell earlier this year, was in care when he was younger and he wants to show anyone who has had struggles in their life, that they can go wherever they believe they can.
“I first started boxing when I came out of care,” he told bcb-promotions.com. “I have just gone from strength to strength with it.
“I do feel confident despite not having the experience. With only being 23 I have lots of time to learn and improve and shape my career.
“I can feel myself getting better and stronger with each session and I can’t wait to show my skills on fight night.
“I want to do something that hasn’t been done before. I want to be the first person with no amateur experience whatsoever to go on and win titles. That is what drives me.
“I also want to be a positive role model to the youth and to kids like me who have gone through similar situations to what I went through.
“I am a great believer in you being able to achieve whatever you want to achieve. It is not about where you have been, it is about your final destination.
“I don’t want to just say that though, I want to show it. I want to back it up and use my boxing career to inspire others.
“I want to be a role model for my daughter too and I want to give her somebody to look up to. I didn’t really have that growing up so to be that role model and positive influence would be fantastic.”
The Birmingham pugilist wants to get his career off to a bang with an explosive performance.
Stevens wants to be a knockout specialist and he is planning on bringing the style of Iron Mike Tyson to the Town Hall.
“I am looking to go there and entertain,” he added. “I want to go through my opponents as quickly as possible. I don’t want to be in the ring for any longer than I have to be.
“There are still things I need to work on in my own game. I like the aggression that Mike Tyson had when he went through his opponents.
“That is the kind of style I will look to replicate. But every fight is different and I know it will be tough.
“If it was easy to get in the ring and knock someone out then I think we would all be at it.
“I want people to take note of me straight away. I won’t be going in there and taking it slow, I want to be exciting from the start.
“It is a good heavyweight division at the moment and I have a lot of time to build my name up. But the quicker I can do that the better, and I am massively motivated to do that.
“I would love to get the knockout on my debut and have that as something to build on.
“I am not going to be arrogant and say that will definitely happen because I might get a very durable opponent. But I feel like I have the skills to be able to do that.
“The amateur and the pro side are completely different games. It is going to sound crazy but my coach always tells me I box better than what I can fight, but yet I have no amateur background.
“So I have picked it up quick and I am excited to show that.”
Tickets for ‘the World Awaits’ are priced at £35 general admission (£40 on the door) and 60 (VIP Ringside to include buffet and waitress service), and can be purchased by calling 0845 111 2900.
