Q&A - Marcus Morrison

Our latest Q&A session comes from Manchester prospect Marcus Morrison, who trains out of Gallaghers Gym and has recently signed with Matchroom Boxing. We personally feel at British Boxing Blog that he is destined for great things and thoroughly enjoyed picking his brains about his influences and his future plans.

British Boxing Blog - How did you get into boxing? What is your boxing background?

Marcus Morrison - My dad took me to my local boxing gym (Mottram & Hattersley) for the first time on my 7th birthday. I trained for 4 years, then had my first amateur fight the day after I turned 11. I won a national title but never got the chance to box for England. BBB - Who is your all time boxing hero?

MM - My 2 favourite boxers of all time are Sugar Ray Leonard and Pernell Whitaker... I can't split them.

BBB - 2015 has saw you sign for Matchroom Boxing, you must be really pleased about this. How much security does this give you for your career going forward?

MM -To be honest, I wouldn't say signing with Matchroom secures me a successful career. That is completely down to me and how I perform on fight nights. What I think signing with Matchroom will do, is give me the opportunities and exposure I need to allow me to secure my own successful career. BBB - We saw you live on the Crolla v Perez 1 undercard in a very impressive performance. You've since fought on the Stephen Smith undercard. Do you believe fighting on big shows will stand you in good stead for the future?

MM - Yes, I definitely think fighting on those sort of big shows will stand me in good stead for the future. Not only do they give me great exposure, but they get me ready and prepared for the bigger things to come!

BBB - What is the mood like in the Gallagher Gym like at the minute ahead of big fights for Callum Smith [who has since beaten Rocky Fielding] and Anthony Crolla?

MM - The gym's buzzing and on a real high at the minute, especially with Liam Smith bringing another world title back to the gym. Both Callum and Anthony are in great shape! I'm very confident that they are both going to get the job done on the night.

BBB - You're fighting again on the Crolla v Perez II undercard in Manchester again. You must be very proud to be fighting in the MEN Arena on big shows in your home town?

MM - Fighting at the Manchester Arena, in my home town, honestly means the world to me. As a kid, I remember being completely taken back by the whole occasion and atmosphere of watching Ricky Hatton top bills there. It just seems mad to think that one day, I could hopefully go on to do the same thing. That would be a dream come true! BBB - You've been very active in 2015, do you believe this is a crucial aspect of the early stages of your career, to stay as active as possible and continue learning?

MM - Definitely! I feel I'm learning and improving with every fight that I have. I'm only 22, and I still have a lot to learn and a long way to go but I'm confident that I'll get there. You never stop learning in boxing and I think that's the right mindset to have. I'm also 100% confident that with Joe and Matchroom, I'm in the best possible place. BBB - What are your aims for 2016?

In 2016, I want to make sure I'm still kept active. And get a belt round my waist! BBB - Will you be keeping an eye on Eubank v Spike and Andy Lee v BJS fights in the Middleweight division in the coming weeks? Can we have predictions for both please...

MM - Yes, I'll be keeping an eye out for both of those fights. They're both exciting fights, and they both have the potential to be absolute wars... Not to mention there's a lot at stake for all 4 fighters. I'm going to go with Eubank and Saunders to both come out on top. BBB - Finally, which British boxer (apart from yourself) should we keep a close eye on in 2016?

MM -I think 2016 is going to be a big year for Hosea Burton. A lot of people are going to start hearing and talking about him next year!

Follow Marcus on Twitter @MarcusSweetMNM and us @britboxingblog