MANCHESTER, ENGLAND — Aqib Fiaz has endured his share of ups and downs over the course of his career, but the 25-year-old is finally able to concentrate fully on boxing.

Fiaz was a successful amateur chosen to help two-weight world champion Carl Frampton prepare for his fight with former IBF featherweight titleholder Josh Warrington before he turned professional at 19.

Since then, Fiaz has secured a promotional deal with Matchroom, racked up 13 wins and become a father but also suffered spells of inactivity and injury. The 25-year-old contender has also had to deal with the devastating losses of his mother and best friend.

Last June, irregular betting patterns caused the late cancellation of Fiaz's scheduled fight with Kane Baker. After a long, thorough investigation by the British Boxing Board of Control, the Oldhamer was cleared of any wrongdoing and given the all clear to continue his career.

Fiaz may have put the whole situation behind him but hasn't forgotten it.

He finally got back in the ring in February — ending a 16-month hiatus with a second-round stoppage of Lydon Chircop — and is using the episode as added motivation.

This weekend, Fiaz (13-1, 2 KOs) boxes Alex Murphy (13-1) over 10 rounds at lightweight on the undercard of the welterweight fight between Jack Catterall and Harlem Eubank. DAZN will stream the event globally from Manchester's AO Arena.

"It's a bad time to be fighting me right now because of my last fight and the way I'm performing in the gym. The way I am right now, it's a really bad time to be fighting me," Fiaz told The Ring.

"I feel like I nearly lost everything that I've worked my whole life for, so now I've got to make it count and I've done nothing but work tirelessly since being back."

Initially, it looked like Fiaz would be taking part in a heated local derby with Michael Gomez Jr (21-2, 6 KOs) this weekend, but the Mancunian's late withdrawal with a wrist injury means that Salford's Murphy will be in the opposite corner.

Fiaz believes whilst the fight may not be as eyecatching, it's actually a tougher test. In April, the super-fit Murphy stepped up to junior welterweight and dropped a close decision to Khaleel Majid, losing his unbeaten record but giving an excellent account of himself.

The 24-year-old was quickly back in the gym and will be confident of scoring a short-notice upset. Gomez's withdrawal was disappointing, though Fiaz needs to be involved in meaningful fights and barely batted an eye when Murphy was offered up as a replacement.

"It was very important. I'd prepared so well. The camp was done really, and it would have been a waste if I'd just gone into a fight where you know you're going to win," he said.

"I need to be tested and Alex Murphy is a good opponent. Obviously, I believe I'll win but I feel like he brings completely different challenges to Gomez. It's not ideal.

"I feel like he has a little bit more to his game. I see he switches a little bit, feel like he has better feet. I feel Gomez would have walked into absolutely everything and it would have been pretty easy for me to pick him apart, whereas Alex brings a few different challenges.

"It's a bit of a harder puzzle to solve, but I've got no qualms. I know I will solve them on the night and get the job done."

Beating Murphy would be the biggest victory of Fiaz's six-year career.

In October 2023 he was stopped by a surging Reece Bellotti in a bid for the Watford man's Commonwealth junior lightweight title but believes that he learned from the experience and is almost ready to return to title level.

For the time being, that is all talk. Fiaz isn't allowing himself too look too far ahead. He is aware of a need to prove his worth before even being considered for a shot and is intent on doing that against Murphy this weekend.

"I'm not far off. I'm ready now," he insisted.

"Obviously, Bellotti's got the European title fight with Ryan Garner coming up and I would like to get that one back but I'm not interested now, not looking ahead.

"I'm a different person to that now. I was 23. I'm 25 now. I'm much more mature. I feel like the things that have gone on away from the ring have made me grow up real quick. I've had to. At 23, to be stepping into fights like that shows you what I'm really about.

"I've been at that level. I've been there, done it before and at a young age. I've been ready to fight anyone and everyone so I've always been about it and this lot know that. I look forward to putting a big performance on here and them fights are next. They've got to be."