The southern border with Greece has been a well-trodden path for many Albanians in the century since its formation, and for teenager Vlad Maca and his five brothers, that meant a seven-day hike to a new life.

But while his siblings were happy with what they found in the next country, Vlad wanted something else. After a brief sojourn to Italy it was England, he thought, that could provide whatever it was he was looking for.

He did not venture too far once he set foot on British soil, deciding to set up shop in Brighton.

Now decades on, his son Adam, around the same age his dad was when Vlad sought pastures new, is about to embark on a journey of his own. Less into the unknown, perhaps, but the youngster is convinced his will be just as rewarding.

Wednesday, May 21 is Adam Maca’s 18th birthday and therefore the day his life as a professional boxer officially starts having signed a long-term deal with Eddie Hearn and Matchroom. Hearn, along with Maca’s manager Sam Jones, have waxed lyrical about the 18-year-old’s potential, describing him as a ‘freak of nature’ and perhaps the best teenage talent anywhere in Britain.

And while they may both have a reputation for media hyperbole, there is a wider feeling that Maca is something special given his exploits in the amateur code in the vests of both England and Albania.

Now, in keeping with the theme, his professional debut will take place on foreign land, with a slot on the undercard of Richardson Hitchins’ world title defence against George Kambosos in The Theater at Madison Square Garden on June 14. Vlad, of course, will be ringside.

“He has never missed a training session,” Maca says of his dad, who drives him from their home in Sussex to train under Dan Woledge in Chatham, Kent every day.

“My dad has his little chair in the corner and he doesn’t like to get involved in the coaching things. Why would he take his son all the way to a different gym if he’s going to do the talking? He will always stay out of it and let the coaches coach.”

But Maca says he has drawn strength from his dad’s story, which has resulted in the formation of a successful scaffolding business in the years which followed his solo trip from Albania via Greece and Italy.

“He left Albania when he was 15, 16,” Maca says. “His brothers stayed in Greece but he didn’t, he wanted more. He always knew what he wanted, he knew his end goal and he made it happen.

“And that is what motivates me and inspires me now. That’s what I’ll look to do in boxing. I won’t stop until I’ve got what I want.

“When he got to England he didn’t have a penny in his pocket and now he runs a big business. He has the things that he likes through hard work and determination. And it feels like it runs in the blood. He was around my age when he walked to Greece and now it’s my turn to go out and make it happen.”

So while a new life and business growth was the goal for his dad, what constitutes success for the 18-year-old Maca?

“I’ll start at bantamweight but I want to go through the divisions,” he says. “The plan right now is to become a multi-weight world champion, undisputed more than once. As I grow and develop I’ll be pushing through the weights.

“There are a lot of big words and statements being made about me and that is something I expect. If they’re not saying anything about me then I must be doing something wrong.

“I believe in my ability and if I didn’t I wouldn’t be here. I want to be knocking people out, I want to be getting attention. I don’t just want to be your average prospect. I’m still young so the roadmap is to get to 10, 12-0 and then we’ll start looking.

“Then it will be about who is No.1? I’ll fight them tomorrow. I believe I can beat them right now but it’s up to everyone else, I’m getting pulled back.”

A slot at MSG in New York might seem like a strange place to showcase one of Britain’s most exciting young prospects but there is method to the madness.

“When I was speaking to Sam before I even signed with him he sent me a photo from Google,” Maca says. “It was a screenshot of the population of Albanians in New York.

“I always knew it was big but it’s around 200,000 officially but it’s probably more than that in reality. Sam text me saying ‘we need to get you fighting out there’ so when we saw Hitchins-Kambosos was happening there it all fell into place.”

His compatriots Florian Marku and Nelson Hysa have both harnessed huge Albanian support across Britain and, dressed in the black and red of the country’s flag, Maca is hoping to garner some of that for himself. But while New York will play host to his debut, he will be back in Britain before the summer is out.

“Every other month,” he adds. “I want to stay active. I have been sparring pros and they’ve been good. If they weren’t good I wouldn’t have turned professional yet. I believe I can beat anyone but it’s up to me to prove that now.”

First, however, he and his family will celebrate his 18th birthday but there will be no break from the norm given the goals at stake.

“It’s a Wednesday,” he says. “So that means we are training twice. Once in the morning and once in the evening.

“I’m not interested in anything else. I don’t drink, I’ve never drunk in my life. I’m only interested in my end goal of becoming undisputed world champion.

“Drinking and partying doesn’t excite me. I don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything. Actually I think the people out drinking are missing out by not being in the gym working towards a goal.

“I’m excited for what’s to come and I know that I’m ready. I have to block out the noise, ignore the hype and just keep my feet on the ground. And I always know my dad will help with that.”