Royston Barney-Smith grew up in plain sight last year and the 21 year-old junior lightweight believes that he is within touching distance of his first professional title.

Barney-Smith, 13-0 (7 KOs), was an outstanding amateur who won gold medals at the 2017 and 2018 European Championships and represented England on numerous occasions. He turned professional in 2022 as an 18 year old and burst on to the scene with a number of eye catching knockouts. Eventually, he begun to encounter the resistance that every young fighter faces.

He settled down to work at Ben Davison’s Performance Centre, got used to the rigors of life as a professional fighter and concentrated on learning his craft.

Last year, the southpaw boxed five times and improved with each and every outing. His straight left hand is becoming a serious weapon and he has begun to fight with the poise and patience of a fighter who knows that the traps he is setting are about to return rewards.

“Just focusing more on the fight. Not trying to rush things but just looking for it a bit better. Not trying to force it. That’s what's been happening and I'm

getting good at it now so there's plenty more to come,” Barney-Smith told Queensberry.

Barney-Smith has begun talking and carrying himself with the air of a fighter who has begun to realize just what they might be capable of.

Signs of his improvement and maturity inside the ring are easy to spot but last week provided evidence of his growing self belief and confidence outside of it.

A few months ago, Barney-Smith mentioned the far more experienced Archie Sharp, 25-1 (9 KOs), as somebody he would like to take on in the not-too-distant future.

Barney-Smith returns to action on March 1st in Southampton on the undercard of Ryan Garner’s vacant European super featherweight title fight with unbeaten Spaniard, Salvador Jimenez.

He will share the bill with Sharp, a man who inhabited the higher reaches of the WBO’s super featherweight rankings for a number of years, and the two found themselves answering questions at the same press conference.

With Sharp sat just a few feet away, Barney-Smith didn’t back peddle or attempt to temper his words. He doubled down and respectfully but firmly stated his reasons for wanting the fight.

Sharp clearly has his mind on his upcoming make or break fight with former British champion, Liam Dillon, 14-2-1 (3 KOs), but it was an ambitious, confident move from Barney-Smith who is intent on gatecrashing title level regardless of the opponent.

“I'm not going to say I didn't when I did because I mean what I say and it'd be a good fight,” he said.

“Anyone really would be a good fight for me to be honest with you. I’m pushing on. I think I'm like top five, top seven now so I can't really start saying now I don't want to fight you, because I have to fight you.

“I'm just taking it with both hands and and I’m willing to fight anyone really for a good enough payday and a good enough title. That’s what I'm here for and that's what I want to do.

“No one likes getting called out, especially when you get a young prospect who can fight like myself just a little bit. He [Sharp] is a little bit older - but not too old - and he's still trying to get where he needs to be. You don’t really want young, hungry fighters looking for you. You want to breeze through and do that.

“He is a good fighter himself I can't take it away from him because, if not, I wouldn't be wouldn't be saying his name so it'd be a good fight but anyone really in the top 10 to be honest with you, I'll be open to the fight.”