Jimmy First with trainer Ignacio Beristáin
Jimmy First (right) has trained all across the world and had 41 fights for his first title

Jimmy First says that he is the oldest prospect in the Britain.

Nobody is likely to argue with the boxer nicknamed "Jimmy the Fist" because he is 41 years old in March.

First, who fights at lightweight, has won all 10 of his professional fights before his championship bout. The Central Area title is vacant.

He was a stoner for most of his 20s while backpacking in Australia, Thailand and Vietnam, smoking a lot of cannabis before taking up boxing at the age of 27.

After 26 bouts in the colours of the ABC, he met his manager who believed he was the right vintage to become a professional boxer.

At 22, First was just a stoner on the beach who traveled about and worked.

After travelling, he played cricket, football, and tennis until he walked into a gym to appease a friend.

He recalled that his friend, Nicky Betteridge, was a huge Ricky Hatton fan.

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He badgered me to go to the boxing gym. I went to stop him. I wanted to do that after watching boxing on TV.

I found boxing rather than it. I started sparring after two months of training. I would go for it after getting hit. It was either get hit and fail or get hit and prove myself.

There was a little devil inside that I didn't know was there. I was not a fighting man.

I won my first eight fights and was Yorkshire champion in the Under 10 bout. I lost in the national semi-finals after winning the regionals.

I should have become a professional sooner. I was an amateur boxer for a couple of years, but only boxing twice a year.

When I was 32 and 33, I was beating guys in the amateur ranks. They must have thought that they had lost to a pensioner.

There were few ambitions when First was a professional. First wants to box until his 45th birthday, but he is still reluctant to discuss targets.

Jimmy First with other boxers at Ignacio "Nacho
Jimmy First trained in Mexico with renowned coach Ignacio 'Nacho' Beristain

He has confidence because of the sparring he has with top operators.

I did not have a plan when I became a professional. Have some fights, see what happens, and have no regrets later in life.

Everyone has a little dream in the back of their mind, but it was a case of go for it and see.

I thought I would be done by 40, but now I want to box until I am 45. I am still in good shape and young people don't keep up with me.

It would mean the world to me if I beat him.

I will beat Justin and then look at the English title. Is a British title eliminator possible? Who knows?

I never dreamed of being a British champion. I was not a huge boxing fan.

He traveled to the Mexico City gym of renowned trainer Ignacio Beristain in December.

An Englishman with little boxing gear walked through the door and surprised Beristain, who has trained dozens of world champions.

I borrowed boxing gloves, forgot my gum shield, but I was still going to spar.

They were thinking that you have come to Mexico City and want to spar. Well, here you go.

They put me in with Angel. We were going for it and the gym stopped.

Even though I had no gum shield, it was a cracking spar. We were laughing because I can speak some Spanish.

I will continue boxing as long as my body allows it. I want to give my all for the last few years I have been in boxing.

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