In a sport where its fighters do their best peacock impressions, make the boldest of claims and lay forth outlandish predictions, Sam Eggington might just be boxing's biggest exception.

He's been one of British boxing's big entertainers in the ring over the past decade, but away from the squared circle Eggington admits he doesn't even watch the sport.

"I was never one of them who stayed up to watch [Floyd] Mayweather or anything," he tells The Ring. "I couldn't tell ya."

Last year, he became so fed up with the way things were going he briefly called it quits following a European junior-middleweight title defeat to Abass Baraou (16-1, 9 KOs). Eggington felt he did enough to win that fight.

He adds: "I was just like 'I'm not getting any favours in close fights'. I don't think I've ever got the rub of the green or the right end of a close fight. The [Ted] Cheeseman fight was another one I thought I won, the performance was unreal."

With his record now at 35-9, 20 KOs, the Birmingham man felt like every 50-50 he competed in went the way of his opponent.

So it was time for something different. For a week at least.

"I went and worked with my brother for a bit," Eggington said. "It was alright, it is what it is. There was nothing happening at the time so I got a job with my brother. We were cleaning out houses for the council, I didn't mind it at all.

"But to be fair pal, I know people keep saying 'Sam went and lived a normal life' but brother I was there from probably Tuesday one week to the Wednesday after. I barely had a full-time job. I went for the interview, I got the job but I was there for six days max. The job was good but I was just cleaning out houses mate."

Jon Pegg, Eggington's longtime trainer got in contact to tell him that an opportunity to fight in Canada for the IBO junior-middleweight title was in the offing. Sukhdeep Singh Batti (19-1, 8 KOs) would be the opponent. All the Indian had to do was beat his underdog opponent for the vacant belt before going on to face Eggington.

Bhatti lost a wide unanimous decision and the opportunity, which was due to take place this month, went up in smoke.

It's that side of boxing that frustrates Eggington.

"I've never claimed or wanted to be an unbeaten f---ing world champion," he says. "It's never been my route or what I thought was gonna happen. I always knew it was gonna be a hard slog with ups and downs. I only turned up to be a journeyman, so anything past the midlands title was a bonus.

"I just want to fight, [Bhatti negotiations] was going on for ages, about 12 or 13 months, fighting then called off, fighting then called off, we set it up, he was supposed to win the IBO title but he lost and it went t--s up."

All was not lost as soon after, the Lee Cutler (15-1, 7 KOs) fight popped up for Eggington. The pair will duel on the Ben Whittaker-Liam Cameron undercard on April 20th - Easter Sunday.

Cutler is an all-action fighter himself and is trained by McGuigan's Gym's Josh Pritchard. The Bournemouth boxer upset the applecart in his last fight to beat the favoured Stephen McKenna, flooring him in the process.

Eggington hasn't seen the fight, you might have guessed.

He said: "I didn't watch it, but as long as I do what I do, I'm 100 percent confident it'll be a good night. I'm not going to change my style for anyone. You go and watch the best Sam Eggington, that's what people can expect on the night, I'm not changing a single thing for him.

"I always make sure in my fights that I don't make myself look like a fool. I've been stung once against Hassan Mwakinyo where he caught me early. I train so hard, 12 hard rounds, I'll throw as many shots in the 12th round as I do in the first."

The future beyond Cutler is uncertain, but Eggington wants domestic honours again.

"I'd like to win the British title again to be honest, the 31-year-old admits. "If Lee wins he'll be looking for a shot so I have to try and wreck that. It's vacant at the moment so I'd like to win that. But if there's bigger fights for bigger pay then I'm there, that's a given."