IT’S been a long time coming, but finally Kieran Smith is ready to step into the ring for a British title eliminator.

For almost eighteen months since his last competitive appearance, a win which saw him retain his WBC International Silver Super welterweight title, Smith has had his sights set on a final eliminator for the British title and at last, he is now ready for the dream becoming reality.

Tonight, Smith will take on Troy Williamson in London, with the winner becoming mandatory challenger for the British welterweight belt, currently held by Englishman Ted Cheeseman.

The final preparations are completed; the sparring has been done, the weight has been made and the plan for fight-night has been pored over and after so long without competitive action, Smith cannot wait to hear the first bell in what he believes will be the start of a new chapter in his career.

“I’m desperate to get in there and get the ball rolling,” the 27-year-old, who is unbeaten in 16 pro fights, says.

“Williamson is a good opponent and it’s a 50-50 fight but with the right tactics and a good performance, I firmly believe I’ll get through it.

“This will be my toughest test to date and this is the next step on the ladder that I’ve been waiting on.

“That it’s an eliminator adds another edge, this is what it’s all about – fighting on the big stage for big titles.

“Two final eliminators have fallen through so it’s really exciting that this is now happening.

“I’m ready and focused and I can’t wait to get in there.”

A competitive swimmer in his youth, Smith took up boxing at the age of 11 and he admits he became, and has remained, well and truly hooked by the feeling you get ahead of a fight.

“Boxing is just unlike any other sport,’ the West Lothian fighter says.

“It’s a whole different ball game to say sitting in a changing room with ten other guys waiting to go out for a football match to sitting in a changing room getting your hands wrapped preparing to go to war with somebody.

“I love that side of boxing. It’s all down to you.”

Smith may have spent the past year yearning for a fight, but he has been far from bored throughout the pandemic.

He is, he admits, unable to sit still and began running and cycling, with some of his endeavours on the bike particularly testing.

And while there are few obvious similarities between riding a bike and boxing, there are a number of positives Smith believes he can draw on now boxing is back up and running.

“I did a 12-hour cycle on the turbo and it was horrible, that was really tough. And I got into road cycling too so I did a 172 mile cycle round Scotland with one of my friends who’s a professional cyclist. That was good,” he says.

“I’ve got an active mind and I’m always looking for a challenge so I just thought I’d go for it.

“It’s a totally different type of fitness to boxing but there’s a lot of things I can take into boxing from it. It shows what your body can do and how you can push through things.”

Smith may be fully focused on his bout with Williamson later tonight but already, in the back of his mind, is the prospect of getting his hands on the British belt.

If he is to fulfill his prediction of defeating Williamson, Smith expects to have a shot at the British title as soon as summertime and were he to become British champion, it would be yet another boost for Scottish boxing, which is going through something of a purple patch at the moment. And Smith is determined to become one of the fighters helping to propel the sport in this country forward.

“Winning the British title would be massive for me,” he says.

“It’d be brilliant to have my name up there – there’s guys like Josh Taylor and Lee McGregor doing really well and that’s great to see.

“I’m really pally with both Josh and Lee so it’d be great if I could be one of the fighters up there winning belts.”