BOWEN DIGGING DEEP

Gruelling

But the 26-year-old, who lives in Ibstock, Leicestershire, knows his preparation will be as gruelling as for his previous 14 fights, with training around his 10-hour work shifts.

“I get up at 4.30am, do my morning run, get home, breakfast, shower and then go to work,” said Bowen, who is unbeaten as a professional.

“I work for 10 hours and then I travel to Newark – which is just over an hour depending on traffic – train for an hour and a half, get home, have my dinner and chill out for half an hour, then go to bed. It’s very difficult but I have to do it.

“The best way I can explain it is there are two Sam Bowens – the one that clocks in to work in the morning and then there is the Sam Bowen that is a professional boxer.”

It is a well-rehearsed routine for the man nicknamed ‘Bullet’ but it also means he gets little time with his seven-month-old son.

“I’ve still got a house and a family to provide for,” said Bowen.

“I know I’m with Warren now so the fight money is alright and I’m confident in what I do boxing-wise, but if you do lose, you’re screwed.

“I didn’t fight in December because I was injured, so I didn’t get paid. If I wasn’t working, who is going to pay my bills?

“Until the fight money is yearly salary level, I can’t take the risk.”

Bowen hopes that victory over Scotsman Clark could be the fight which allows him to box full-time.

He said: “Provided I win this next one, I’ll have discussions with my manager Carl Greaves and my sponsor to see if I can do this full-time.

“I am training full-time but it is the rest I need in between. I can’t keep doing what I’m doing.”

The engine-building boxer knows a win will also help dig his path as he plots his route to the top.

“If we can get opportunities for bigger fights, I’m up for it,” he said.