If you were faced with the situation of your first-ever boxing match, you would probably look to prepare yourself in the best possible way.

Whether that be eating the right nutrients, or getting yourself a healthy amount of sleep, not many people would feature in a rugby match for Letchworth Garden City, 12 hours before they stepped foot in the ring.

Tom Ansell is different to you and I though, and he laced up his boots in the morning to play scrum half and by the evening had recorded his first victory in unlicensed boxing.

The Hitchin local is now a professional boxer, but his love for rugby was too strong just to put to the side and, although putting a halt on his playing days, he has now become a coach at Letchworth Rugby Club.

He had captained Hertfordshire and was in Bedfordshire University’s first team, but in boxing, Ansell has surpassed his achievements in rugby.

The boxer now looks forward to fighting at the O2, on the undercard of Anthony Joshua's clash with Robert Helenius.

Ansell said: "Performing at the O2, on an Anthony Joshua undercard, is definitely something to tick off the bucket list.

"I fought at the O2 Indigo for my second professional fight and won by knockout, but this is completely different.

"This is on DAZN and run by Eddie Hearn, the best boxing promoter in the world, and it is all adding up to be a great night."

The 30-year-old got into boxing during his last year of studying sports science, exercise and coaching, in an attempt to keep fit for rugby.

But quickly started to showcase some talent, and looked up to fighters such as Manny Pacquiao, Terence Crawford and Ricky Hatton.

The latter’s son, the unbeaten Campbell Hatton, is Ansell’s opponent for Saturday's fight.

And despite Campbell’s flawless start, recording 12 wins from 12, the former Beds Uni student isn’t fazed.

He said: "I honestly believe this is the best mindset and best physical shape I have been in.

"I haven’t struggled to make weight at all.

"My nutrition has been bang on, and my strength and conditioning coach has got me hitting PBs, so everything is going well.

"I had my last session on Wednesday, and it has gone as well as I could have hoped.

"I am really confident and look forward to doing the job on Saturday.

"I met [Hatton] on Wednesday and I am quite a bit bigger than him which is a bit of a first for me in a fight.

"My game plan doesn’t change though. We know what each other is about and I have to try to tactically outsmart him to knock him out.

"On my part my tactics are the same. I don’t know about him but I am not fussed about that.

"If anything, I am the more experienced fighter and I will use all of it."

Throughout his training camp, Ansell also hired a therapist to help him mentally for this bout, and after coming off the back of two defeats before this fight, the boxer has only taken positives from each experience.

Ansell said: "Mentality is massive. I have been working with a therapist for the last couple of weeks, and it seems to have helped me out a lot.

“This is the second time I have done this. It is a different person and is face-to-face now, so I have a bit of a connection now.

“I am just chilling, trying to take my mind off it and focus on my sleep. I'm like a kettle boiling mentally, waiting to simmer over and then on Saturday I will be at boiling point.

"I learnt a lot from the two losses, three out of my previous four fights have been 10 rounders, which have helped a lot and I am going to use that on Saturday."

Ansell’s rise to this occasion would have been unexpected to even himself 11 years ago, but his journey throughout the sport continues to surprise.

What started out as a tool to help him improve with his first love, rugby, has now seen supported by 18 sponsors which include Loose Goose Clothing, Lower Wilbury Farm and Top Guard UK, whilst also working with Hearn and Frank Warren at different stages of his career.

Warren was the first to see a spark in Ansell, signing the then personal trainer to his new boxing concept Total Combat.

Boxers competed in one six-minute round, where the £5,000 pounds would decrease with every passing second until someone was knocked out.

Ansell knocked down his sparring partner and continued to have success throughout this form of boxing.

The Hertfordshire hitter said: "It was surreal after only having a few fights and then going straight into [Total Combat]. It made me realise if I took it seriously then I could achieve something in boxing."

So that is what Ansell did, and as he wakes up tomorrow morning ready to take on Campbell Hatton at the O2, the last thing on his mind will be preparing for a rugby match.

Ansell is sponsored by: Light Corporation, Rogersons Removals, Peckers, @steve_2021wick, H.E.S, Ashe Roofing, Lower Wilbury Farm, Peel Street Consultants, Just Vape & Juices, Options Kitchens Ltd, Thomas Willett, Top Guard UK, Red Lift Hire, BD Electrical Ltd, Boxing Saves Lives Official, Loose Goose Clothing, Elite Fitness Academy, Phill Parker Physiotherapy.