For all but the lucky few, professional boxing is a full-time vocation for a part-time wage and lots of fighters need to fit training around work whilst waiting for a fight date.

Some pick up the trowel and go back to the building site. Others find themselves scaffolding or driving to pay the bills.

Josh Holmes (17-0, 6 KOs) has a more glamorous way of making a living.

The 30-year-old Earby lightweight is a personal trainer who helps his friend, Johnny Depp, prepare for his movie roles.

Holmes' sideline has been an open secret on the north-west scene for some time but, as he never tried to capitalise on or gain publicity from the friendship, it seemed unfair to ask him about it.

On March 28, Holmes will fight Alex Murphy (14-2) on the rescheduled Magnificent Seven show at Manchester's Co-op Live Arena and at the event's launch press conference, the relationship was one of the first things he was questioned about.

"I didn't think they were going to mention that," Holmes told The Ring with a laugh.

"I've never really posted about it - one picture - it's not something I can post on socials a lot. It's private for him as well.

"I met him probably 15 years ago. He's kind of followed my career through the amateurs and pros. He watched my English title fight.

"Then he had a film coming up and I got the opportunity to go and train with him for his upcoming role. I thought, 'If there's no fights happening, then I'm off out there.'

"Honestly, he’s a great guy. Just a normal, funny great guy."

The upcoming fight with Murphy offers Holmes the chance to gain some belated attention for his undoubted boxing ability.

Back in November 2024, Holmes squared off with Lewis Wood for the vacant English 130-pound title.

His hands and feet were far too fast for the aggressive Mancunian, landing almost everything in his repertoire over the course of four one-sided rounds.

Holmes will enter the Magnificent Seven fight week as a mystery to most but if he can reproduce a similar level, will finally find himself in the mix for some big fights.

"After Wood, I thought my career was going to catapult but it just didn’t for one reason or another," he said.

"We were stuck. We were open to fight for the British title and that was kind of almost secured but then it fell through. I’d already given up the English by then so was kind of in no man's land.

"I feel like it's going to be a lot tougher fight so I've prepared like it's my world title fight. I've done the hard work through the small shows but getting an opportunity is one thing, taking the opportunity and performing is a completely different ballgame.

"I've got to perform so I've been working so hard for this."