Pat McCormack believes he has finally found his groove in 2025 after a nightmare spell left him as one of British boxing’s forgotten men.

Following his silver medal at the delayed 2020 Olympics, many expected McCormack to go on to become a professional world champion eventually.

He made a good start to that quest, racking up three wins inside the first eight months of his career before two stoppage victories in the first half of 2023 had marked him out as one of Britain’s most exciting newbie pros.

However a 13-month injury-induced lay-off slammed the brakes on his progress and he managed just one outing in the whole of 2024.

On Saturday night in Monaco, McCormack faces British welterweight champion Conah Walker over 12 rounds at Salle des Etoiles live on DAZN. And, after stoppage wins over Robbie Davies Jr and Miguel Parra already in 2025, it means he will manage three outings in the same year for the first time since he turned professional.

“I feel like I’ve got into a groove now and found my rhythm,” McCormack said from Monaco.

“I think that has been reflected in my performances too. Obviously, my last fight was probably my best performance, but it was the best fight I've had so far. I've always said when the level goes up, I'll go up, so that's what happened. I feel like you’re starting to see some glimpses of me at my best but there is plenty more to come.

“Activity was the key, that's the only thing we were missing. Obviously, I was out for a little bit with an injury, but we're back now and we've had a good year this year and we're going to finish it strong.”

It is amazing to think that McCormack (8-0, 6 KOs), is still in single figures for professional outings, despite being 30 years old. Even so, he is 15th with the IBF and right up at No. 4 with the WBA.

“I’m only eight fights in but I feel far more established than that really,” he adds. “I had 160 amateur fights. I had six World Series of Boxing fights, which are five round fights with smaller gloves.

“I beat people who went on to win world titles in WSB, beat some people in the top ten, so I've had that experience. I feel like I'm a lot further ahead than my record suggests.”

Due to British Boxing Board of Control rules, Walker’s British title will not be on the line in Monte Carlo but both men know victory will have huge ramifications for their world title chances in a division with four different champions.

On the British title, McCormack said: “Belts are nice but we fight for money. I know I just need to win to get my positioning right.

“If I keep winning then I could be knocking on the door by next year. We’ve got the right promoter behind us and the right team around us so when the time is right, the fights will be getting made. I take it one fight at a time, keep getting wins, keep looking good and then everything else will fall into place.”

His promoter Eddie Hearn, who signed him straight out of the Olympics, has no plans to wait around with McCormack should he beat Walker, another Matchroom fighter.

“Pat is 30 now so he needs to get a move on,” Hearn told The Ring. “There is no point in holding him back now, he’s in his absolute prime.

“He needs to get a move on and that’s why we have made this fight with Conah. Pat had a good win last time and has built some good momentum and now if he wins this fight he can go into spring/summer and be involved in a final eliminator for the world title.

“But winning here is no given. We know how much talent he has but we have no idea how tough Pat McCormack is. We have no idea how good his chin is at that level. But what I do know is, he's a world-class talent and someone that we believe will go on and become a world champion, even in a division like this."