A fighter from Ashford Boxing Club is closing in on making his professional debut at a historic venue.

Logan Carter will complete his transition from the amateur ranks as he fights at London’s iconic York Hall next Saturday, having signed with Steve Goodwin of Goodwin Boxing.

The 20-year-old took part in his first skills bout in 2014 and will become only the fourth person out of Ashford to box professionally.

Carter said: “I’ve been boxing all my life. Since I can remember, I’ve been at the gym.

“Normally, I go five to six times a week - but just not on Sundays. Sundays are a day off.

“The only thing I’ve wanted to do was turn professional so I kind of always knew that I was going to turn pro.”

In his amateur days, Carter was a five-time Southern Counties champion, an England Boxing national schools’ runner-up in 2017 and trained with Maidstone’s Dennis McCann and Adam Azim in an England training camp in Brighton two years later.

Among Logan’s coaches is his dad Jamie, who said: “I started boxing at Ashford when I was about 16, I’m 53 now, so I’ve been there for quite a while.

"Obviously, Logan has just grown up in the gym.

“He has boxed all through championships, been a national finalist, been involved in National Box Cups all over the country and it sort of came to a stage where you need to make a decision on what you’re going to do.

“He’s sort of good enough to take it to the next level.”

Logan estimates between 100 and 150 tickets have been sold for the bout and, while he will initially be competing at welterweight level when he faces Newark’s Fonz Alexander, he is hoping to move on from the weight category.

He said: “I think I’ve sold 40 ringside seats, which is really good. Hopefully, we can pack that out.

“We’re still looking to do a few more, but it’s not going too bad.

“On my professional debut, I’ll be at welterweight but, hopefully, I’ll be looking to go down to super lightweight.”

Those in the Ashford area who will get behind Carter on his professional debut will face a fairly simple commute to the venue in Bethnal Green.

Jamie added: “Naseem Hamed, Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury, they have all been through York Hall. It’s a great place to start.

“Logan has gone with Steve Goodwin from Goodwin Promotions. Steve always has shows there so that’s one of the reasons we decided to go with him.

“It has quite good links to Ashford. It’s quite nice and easy to get to.

“On the fast train, you go straight to Stratford International and it’s a couple of tube stops from there, so it’s a nice and easy journey from Ashford.

“It just makes everything easier.”

But life as a professional is far less glamorous than it might seem.

Carter said: “There’s a lot of work behind the scenes and a lot of stuff that goes unnoticed.

"It didn’t really feel like a job until you started noticing all the stuff you have got to do behind the scenes.

“The boxing and the training is the easiest part about it, which is mental!”

Nevertheless, it will be a proud moment for Jamie when he joins his son in his corner for his professional bow.

“It’s great for me to see my son turn professional in a sport that I’ve always loved,” he admitted. “It’s an amazing feeling.

“I have done my professional licence so that I can go in the corner with him so it’ll be great.”

Email ashfordboxingclub@yahoo.co.uk for more club details.