Riding the momentum after a career-best decision win over then-unbeaten contender Stephen McKenna in December, Lee Cutler returns next month firmly believing another standout showing will seal his long-awaited dream to headline a south Coast show in Bournemouth.

Sam Eggington (35-9, 20 KOs) might be just two years older than Cutler (15-1, 7 KOs) but has completed over 200 rounds more than the 29-year-old, during a 12-year professional career where he's boxed in hospitality suites and leisure centers, football stadiums and iconic venues across the globe as the away fighter.

This time though a home assignment beckons on another television slot, having memorably given Germany's 16-1 pro Abass Baraou all he could handle over 12 rounds in Telford last March for EBU honors at 154-pounds.

At last month's inaugural press conference though, the contrast in their mindsets was immediately clear. Eggington admitted he doesn't watch much of the sport - Cutler's fights included - but said from what he knows, their styles will mesh nicely.

"He likes to come forward and throw shots, we'll meet there and see how it ends. I enjoy my job, it's that simple, love what I do and the ambition is to keep a job that you want, just want to carry on doing that [boxing] at a high level. I have no bad words to say, we're both there to win."

Cutler meanwhile, had fond memories after buying a ticket to watch David Haye vs. Tony Bellew at London's O2 Arena. Eight years later, he'd be sharing the ring with someone who featured and produced an impressive stoppage win on the undercard.

"It seems like yesterday, I actually boxed as an amateur the night before in a little sports hall. Me and my mates got the train up to London, Eggington absolutely punched the hell out of Paulie Malignaggi, a big name in boxing, it's weird how life works out, now I'm here fighting him, it's an honour to be here on this sort of stage, can't wait to show what I'm made of."

He was understandably bullish about the developments he and his coaches are making out of the McGuigan gym under Josh Pritchard, stressing he continues getting better with every sparring session.

A "fight in a phonebox" is what has been promised and if that's the case, it's unlikely they'll hear the final bell in what many are tipping as a fan-friendly contest over ten rounds for Cutler's newly-won WBC International Silver title.

Talking to the Ring last month, Cutler reflected on an arduous year-long period packed with inactivity and uncertainty about prospective fights - including vacating the English junior-middleweight title - though he's looking forward to the future at European level and beyond.

"I don't know how I've stayed focused to be honest, it was a difficult time with a few things going through my personal life, I got through McKenna with flying colours and now face one of the division's biggest names at the minute. I know Sam's lost but only at the top level, he's beaten some big names, so I'm focused on that and then we can move on. Come through this one and I hold myself as No. 1 or No. 2 in the country, so I'm just excited."

To contextualise how big a win this would be on ranking alone, Cutler is rated no. 34 by the WBC while Eggington sits just outside the world's top-15 at #17 right now. Recent world-title challenger Chordale Booker and his American compatriot Brandon Adams, who notably beat Serhii Bohachuk this time four years ago, both feature at 13 and 14 respectively.

Josh Kelly is the only British name in the world's top-15 at #11, though the Sunderland man is far more favourably ranked at no. 4 with the IBF and WBO.

As far as his last performance is concerned, Cutler long held the belief he was capable of producing and felt he needed an opponent like McKenna to show what he could do.

"I've just been improving everyday, it was nice to do it under the lights and get people commenting on those improvements, I just wanted that one decent fight then I felt I'd be ready to go in against anyone. Sam's next and again, I just want to put on another great display."

Motivation within the gym

His close friend, gymmate and now-former WBO cruiserweight world champion Chris Billam Smith (20-2, 13 KOs) returns the following weekend on the Chris Eubank Jr vs. Conor Benn undercard against Brandon Glanton (20-2, 17 KOs). For once, they're boxing around the same time.

"I think he's going to put on a great display, I know what he's like in the gym, we live together in camp and are boxing around the same time - it's nice for a change - when we're both going through the same things, they'll be talking about another world title shot for him after April 26 and I look forward to that for him."

Adam Azim, another of Cutler's stablemates, recently clinched the IBO world junior-welterweight championship with a career-best stoppage win over Sergey Lipinets. What is he seeing from the 22-year-old in the gym, behind the curtain?

"It's mental, really. You see how young and focused he is, the amount of attention he gets and level of fame in his local community, I wouldn't have been capable of handling it at that age. He's always looking for small percentages - just like Chris - he gets that from being in the gym with older guys, it's great to see him always improving and when it gets made, he beats Dalton Smith comfortably."