In the office of Unit 3 gym in Naas, Gary Cully sits with his tattooed hands wrapped around a mug of tea.
He leans back in his chair and relaxes, as his coach, Niall Barrett scrolls meticulously through a list of potential opponents for his upcoming fight.
It's a balancing act between finding someone big enough to fill the card and creating an exciting matchup that will sell tickets.
A few weeks later, the stage is set for Cully’s contest with Jose Felix Jr, a 15-year veteran of the sport.
"I know I’ve put in some big performances," Cully laughs. "But it’s going to be the best performance of my career so far. I’m going to have fun doing it, I’m going to enjoy every second of it. Yeah, it’s going to be a show."
The six-year-pro has had some big performances in the last year, most notably his 35-second knockout of Jaouad Belmehdi in October 2022, while his most recent contest ended in a second-round knockout in February, which saw Cully pick up the WBA Lightweight Intercontinental belt.
As he danced around the ring, the bright fuschia trim of his shorts bounced, shorts that were specially designed for the boxer.
'The Diva’, as Cully goes by, has cemented his reputation as a flamboyant showman in recent fights, and he has been drawn to the "razzle dazzle" of show business since a young age.
"I believe that I’m one for under the lights," said Cully. "I put on the performances when it’s the biggest pressure and the biggest lights, that’s when I really put on the big performances."
Cully takes his unblemished 16-0 professional record into Saturday's bout, hoping to send a message to the lightweight division with a stoppage victory.
While a showstopping performance is the priority, he plans to take it all in during his ring walk in the 3Arena.
"My career, as much as it’s professional, I’m trying to win titles and I’m trying to earn money and I’m trying to reach certain levels.
"It’s also to make memories that last a lifetime with my friends and my family as well so it’s going to be massive for me and for them. It’s a night that we’ll all remember forever."
It hasn’t always been plain sailing to get to this point for Cully. The Naas man remembers times where fights were cancelled, or opponents pulling out the day beforehand.
He signed a deal with MTK Global in 2017 and when the promotion company folded dramatically five years later, he was unsigned and facing huge uncertainty.
"Obviously when MTK ended, I had no security or [no idea] when I was going to fight again.
"I had no management, I had no promoters, so no shows to get on. I had my team, obviously, as in my coaches and stuff like that.
"Finally, an opportunity presented itself last year in the form of a contract with Matchroom Boxing and a glowing endorsement from renowned promoter Eddie Hearn.
"Ever since I signed with Matchroom, it’s just blown up in the last 12 months," said Cully.
Cully’s first opportunity to impress Hearn came in March 2022 at the Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham.
"He gave me an opportunity," explains Cully. "‘Here you go, former world champion (Vazquez), let’s see what you’re made of’.
"Nobody really stopped Miguel Vazquez and I knocked him out in five rounds. He obviously saw something there, gave me another opportunity and the last two fights have gone quick as well."
Leaving no stone unturned in fight camp is something Cully prides himself on.
He trains twice a day, six days a week, and ends the day with hot yoga or a float tank. Outside the ring, he completes 15-minute 5km runs during gruelling conditioning sessions under the watchful eyes of Barrett, his coach for the last decade.
"I love it all," he smiles, "I love the good times, I love the hard times.
"One of my biggest hobbies now is yoga, Danielle (Cully’s partner) is always giving out to me. I’ll train here at 11am and 4pm and yoga’s on at 6:30pm."
It’s a welcome chance to switch off from boxing for someone who drives around with a picture of the World Championship belt hanging from their sun visor. It also aids recovery from the daily training and helps Cully to stay grounded in the moment. With the ultimate goal of attaining a lightweight world championship belt.
And now, with the eight-week camp completed, looking ahead to Saturday night, the lightweight prospect has moved into fight mode, knowing that a win will prove another vital step in the right direction.
The pre-fight routine will remain low key, as along with sparring coach Pete Taylor, coach Barrett is one of the select few allowed into the dressing room.
"Gary is quite into music, he’ll turn his music up quite loud," said Barrett. "He does like shadow boxing and hitting pads, he does a very long warm-up because he’s so fit. It’s a calm intensity. There’s no stress or there’s no worry but he does like getting quite ramped-up."
And as for the 6'2" southpaw, set to make his long-awaited Dublin debut under some of the brightest lights that Irish boxing has seen in some years.
"I'm fighting back in Dublin for the first time as a professional, they can put Godzilla in front of me and he’s not going to beat me in front of my home fans."
Follow a live blog of Chantelle Cameron v Katie Taylor for the undisputed super-lightweight world title from the 3Arena on Saturday night on the RTÉ News app or RTÉ.ie/Sport
