When Willy Hutchinson joined Shane McGuigan in April, it was described as a 'frightening combination' by the east London-based trainer.

However their union lasted only a matter of months as a routine of living out of a suitcase in a Leyton hotel left the Hutch Train in danger of coming off the rails. "It was one of them," he explains to The Ring. "I just was not happy.

"It has a lot to do with myself of course. It just wasn't for me and I wasn't enjoying it. Shane is a great coach and everyone in the gym was nice to me but it just didn't settle right for me and I needed a change."

During an interview only a few weeks after linking up with McGuigan, the man from Carstairs, Scotland had admitted that London life had left him an ‘emotional wreck’. He was staying just 200 yards from the gym but knew things were not quite right.

Once he had made his mind up to leave, there was only one man he needed to call - his former trainer and the man who first scouted him at the World Amateur Championships which he won back in 2016, Mirko Wolf.

"It had to be Mirko," Hutchinson says. "I was about 10 weeks out from my next fight date and knew I wasn't happy. But I was definitely going to do the fight anyway.

"I remember asking myself what was the happiest I've been during my career and it was with him. So I phoned him up and told him I had something to ask. He thought I needed some advice but I told him about the fight and that I wanted to head back.

"He agreed and I have never looked back."

But while east London is some way from his new house in Carlisle, where his wife lives while he is away in camp, going back to Mirko was an even bigger sacrifice.

"It's in Malaga [Spain]," he says. "Same as I was before I joined up with Shane. It's a big sacrifice being here and I think I've seen my family maybe four times since leaving Shane five months ago.

"Mirko has got a house with five apartments in it but right now it's just me and him and I actually stay in his apartment. He's in his bedroom and I'm in the little bedroom. We are like the odd couple.

"I head back to England once every four or five weeks as I've really been training my backside off. It's emotional, a sacrifice and it has been a lot but I feel like I needed this to get the best out of me. I think I've wasted enough time in my career so I have to get it right."

Hutchinson made his debut eight years ago next month at Indigo o2, London on a David Haye-promoted card topped by Joe Joyce's debut. Hutchinson won in 89 seconds that night and added another 12 victories before Lennox Clarke stunned him in March 2021.

He rebuilt with five straight victories but suffered the second defeat of his career last September when Joshua Buatsi dropped him twice en route to a split decision victory at Wembley Stadium.

Hutchinson has not boxed since that night with a shoulder injury precluding him from a scheduled clash with fellow British contender Zach Parker in February.

Now, eight months on from that proposed date, he is finally back and will face Mark Jeffers (20-1, 7 KOs) at Braehead Arena live on DAZN this Saturday night.

"I believe I'm coming for them world titles, man," the 27-year-old says. "I'm feeling in a very good place now but it has been frustrating.

"My shoulder popping out was the start of my really getting down but it has been all good for four or five months now. It's good to be back. Jeffers is a decent, durable opponent but I’m there to take this man out and I'm ready to become world champion once I do that.

"This is a very exciting time to be honest with you. Mark Jeffers, I say fair play to him because, without mentioning names, I had five different opponents from the top 10 all pull out. Not one, but five. It's ridiculous."

Hutchinson (18-2, 13 KOs) is currently The Ring’s No.10-ranked light heavyweight but the only sanctioning body top 10 in which he currently resides is the WBC, who have him eighth.

A victory against Jeffers, a career super-middleweight, will get the ball rolling again and Hutchinson believes he will be back in world title contention by the turn of the year.

"Once I get the job done on October 4," he adds. "The world is my oyster.

"I'm willing to box anyone. I hope to be back out again in December and then 2026 will be huge for me. But honestly, I'm just grateful to be happy again."