Shakiel Thompson: Sheffield boxer is in bizarre shape ahead of big break on Sky Sports UK News

Father-of-one Shakiel Thompson of Handsworth may be dreaming of sold-out shows and world titles, but the business administration of manufacturing company Gripple Ltd won’t take care of itself, even during fight week.

Nor can he indulge in treats lying around the office to help him through the day when he has to hit the 11 stone 4 middleweight limit before his next fight on Saturday.

And any hope of repeating his alarm each morning is cut short by sprint training at Norfolk Park before work, and there’s another session to complete after his shift.

“It’s easy when you focus on things,” insists the 25-year-old.

But there was a time when it wasn’t easy.

Shakiel previously fought under Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions banner before that deal was cut. Then the coronavirus pandemic hit, forcing him to find regular work.

He didn’t fight for another two years.

“Quitting crossed my mind, but I stuck to it,” he says.

“Boxing means so much to me and I know where I want to go, where I want to be. I kept going and look what happened now.”

Shakiel was scouted by Sky Sports boxing promoter Ben Shalom when he claimed the seventh victory of his fledgling career – and fifth by stoppage – in March on a small show at Oldham.

“I feel like I’m under the radar,” he adds.

“Everyone thought I quit, I didn’t. I stayed in the gym every day, I worked non-stop, that’s why when I came back, I was still blowing people away.”

The ambition, like most hopefuls, is to win a world title.

But, for now, those ambitions have to be balanced with his work schedule, not that Shakiel is complaining.

“Right now I’m doing everything right,” he says, “I’m fit, I’m ready to fight, so there’s no difference.”

In the meantime, there is lost time to make up for.

“Now everything is accelerating, I’m really happy to have this platform behind me. Hope my name comes out.”