Will Crolla loves life as a professional fighter. The 26 year old had a literal ringside seat for his brother Anthony’s outstanding career and spent countless days in the gym, watching the former lightweight world champion force himself to the top through sheer hard work and determination. When he finally decided to take the sport seriously himself, the 25 year old light middleweight did so with a better idea than most about exactly what it takes to be successful but, a year into his career, he has just had a pretty stark reminder. 

“Last week was one of the hardest weeks I’ve ever had,” Crolla, 4-0 (3 KOs), told BoxingScene. “I wasn’t feeling great but knew I had to get my rounds in, spar, go to yoga and do my S&C. I was asking questions of myself but I came through. I was happy about that. I answered the questions and ticked boxes that I’ve never had to before and that’s a good feeling. If I’m not finding the answers at six-round level I won’t find them later on.

“I feel like a pro now. I can’t really say I’m seasoned but that’s how I feel. I’ve got a lot more experience than a lot of people. In professional boxing I believe that being there is a massive thing and I’ve seen it at the highest level for years and years. None of this is new to me. Now, it’s all about me working my way up to there.”

Crolla may have a famous surname but he hasn’t been handed his opportunity as a favour. He might not yet have the same profile as other famous boxing siblings but the Mancunian was a good schoolboy fighter who drifted from the sport in his teens. If he had stayed in the gym himself rather than taking a watching brief, it is highly likely that he would have started this journey years ago and been brought along on his brother’s undercards. 

Timing is everything in boxing and Crolla has matured as a person and now knows exactly what he wants to do with his life. He is a big character at Anthony's gym in Oldham and is learning from his past mistakes. 

“As an amateur I used to beat all the good kids by doing the bare minimum but I do believe that if you cut corners you get found out and when I got  to 15 or 16 I started getting beat off people I should never have lost to,” he said. “I learned that hard work beats talent if talent doesn’t work hard.

“I was watching boxing one day and just thought, ‘I should be doing that.’ I came back at 15-and-a-half stone and just chipped away. I started getting sharp, started hitting pads, and then said I’d jump in sparring.

“It started coming together and now I feel like I’m where I should be. I’m sharp. On my debut I didn’t feel sharp. I was ready for it because it was the next step but now I feel where I should be and like I’m improving every week.”

Crolla’s short career has certainly been eventful. Since getting off the floor to win a decision on his debut the switch hitter has scored three very quick victories and looks naturally heavy handed. The power has developed naturally over the years, partly through hard work and age and partly from watching some of the best British fighters of recent times go about their work. 

“I gave a few counts out as a kid but I had very good feet. I wasn’t a s***house but I used to move and I could box. I'd get on my feet and try and walk people on to my right hand or left hook. I started switching and sitting on my shots a bit more. I’m very good on the back foot. Nobody’s seen it because I haven’t had to show it yet. I’m looking forward to the day I have to.

“I’ve watched pros like John Murray and Matt Macklin. I’ve seen how they sit on their shots. I’ve grown up around the Smith brothers and Scott Quigg. I grew up probably in one of the best eras of boxing. I’ve seen when world champions used to come over and spar. I believe I’ve just took little bits from them all. Whether that’s the way somebody throws a left hook to the body and then comes to the head or the way they’ll roll after it – I believe that’s just helping make my style.”

Crolla may have made his debut at the same AO Arena that was home to his brother’s most famous nights and followed it up with a quick win at Liverpool’s Echo Arena but since then he has been happy to go about his business away from the spotlight, recording unglamorous stoppage wins at Bowlers Exhibition Centre and Oldham Sports Centre and getting used to the daily grind in the gym.

He is back at Manchester’s famous arena on Saturday and believes that Matchroom may have  a longer term deal in the offing for him if he beats Italy’s Fabio Cascone. Crolla believes that he is ready for a bigger promotional push and wants to prove that he should be mentioned in the same breath as prospects like Junaid Bostan and Jimmy Sains, who compete at or near 154lbs. 

“I train every day like I’m one of the best prospects in the country,” he said. “That’s how I feel and how I train. Whether some people will call me deluded or a liar, that’s fine, but in my head that’s what I am. If my last couple of fights were on TV, I’d have a lot more hype around me but I really don’t mind. 

“I believe I’m every bit as good as these prospects who are on TV and this year I’ll show it. I’ll stand on the big stage, get the results, and I believe I’ll be talked about as one of those prospects by the end of this year.”