A SCOTTISH boxing champion stepped out of the ring and back on to the building site after winning his latest title bout.

Joe Ham put down his fists and picked up his tools as he went straight back to his day job after winning his first Scottish Featherweight Championship.

The time-served joiner, who is sponsored by City Building, returned to the company who gave the 25-year-old seven weeks off to train in the run-up to his first title fight in the weight division.

Ham’s preparation for the big fight involved daily 5.30am runs, strength and conditioning training and intense sparring sessions.

He said: “I’m very grateful for the incredible support I’ve had from City Building over the years.

“I couldn’t have done this without them and they’ve been with me every step of the journey, since I started my apprenticeship with them nearly five years ago.”

Joe, who won his bout against Scott McCormack on April 15 and went on to celebrate with his employer and sponsor at the Queenslie Training Centre where he learned his trade as an apprentice.

Dr Graham Paterson, the executive director of City Building, said: “We are very proud of Joe’s success.

“He is a champion both in boxing and at work, inspiring and encouraging other young apprentices starting out in their careers to work hard and reach their ambitions with our support.

“We have over 300 apprentices in training at the moment and Joe is a shining example of what dedication and sheer graft can achieve.”

Joe is currently working on the site of the new Broomhill Primary School, which is due to be completed in 2018.

He made a name for himself as a super bantamweight boxer with 102 wins out of 130 fights.

Throughout his career, he has managed to wrack up 10 bantamweight titles and can now boast his champion status over two weight divisions.

Joe started boxing when he was 11 years old to get fit and lose weight.

His dad, an ex-boxer, was Joe’s main reason for getting into the sport, although he had some reservations about boxing to begin with.

Ham added: “People say it must be a nightmare with your dad being your coach and it is on one hand because he’s really hard on me, but on the other it’s the best person to have cheering you on.

“It doesn’t matter whether I fight in a room filled with 200 people or an arena like the Hydro with 12,000 – the only voice I ever hear shouting is his and that works for me.”