Jason Quigley says that the life of a professional boxer is a learning curve, but he is now living out his childhood dream.
The Donegal native secured his first championship belt since turning professional by winning the vacant North American Boxing Federation middleweight title in California in March and is getting to grips with the change in his career.
The 2013 European champion and Under-23 European champion from 2012 in the Middleweight division moved into the professional ranks in 2014 and remains unbeaten in 13 bouts, 10 by way of knockout.
The 26-year-old remembers fondly his amateur career, particularly the camaraderie among his Irish team-mates, and revealed on RTÉ 2fm’s Game On what he misses most.
"The thing I miss about it was I was a lot closer to home than I am in Los Angeles," he said.
"I used to go training Monday to Friday [as an amateur] and I was always home at the weekends. It’s a bit different now."
Quigley, who required surgery on his hand after the title victory over American Glen Tapia, says the difference between amateur and professional boxing is most stark away from the action.
"The most difficult part was outside the gym and outside the ring.
"All I wanted to do was to get in and train, and get fighting, but it was probably one of the best learnings I have had in my life.
"That was the reason I turned professional and wanted to go on to become world champion."
"Dealing with contracts, dealing with business, smart men... it made me grow up very quick.
"The main reason I started boxing was because I saw Marco Antonio Barrera beat Prince Naseem Hamed [2001] for the world title and the hairs started to stand on me. I didn’t know what this feeling was, but it felt good.
"That was the reason I turned professional and wanted to go on to become world champion."
Quigley said the opportunity to sign with Golden Boys promotions was simply down to the presence of boxing legend Oscar de la Hoya.
"You look at all the other promoters out there," he said.
"Who has the experience that man has? What other promoter has been in the ring, that has dealt with managers, promoters and the business side of the sport?
"There’s not a lot of people that have done that."
