Miles Shinkwin and Mitchell Smith have spent almost a decade developing their craft alongside each other and in 2015 they plan to become Bushey Boxing Club’s first British champions.

All boxers from these isles set out with the goal of securing the Lonsdale belt and eventually winning it outright. But with Smith holding the English super featherweight belt and Shinkwin the unbeaten Southern Area light heavyweight champion, adding the British strap is a realistic ambition for both men.

Shinkwin - like cousin Liam who won the Southern Area lightweight title - was trained by his dad Danny at Bushey Boxing Club growing up and they were soon joined by a talented 13-year-old Smith, who had previously been at Harrow ABC and would later spend time at South Oxhey ABC.

Shinkwin, 26, and the 22-year-old Smith still train together, now under the tutelage of Jason Rowland, and continue to drive each other towards their respective British crown.

“The nicest thing is we both want each other to do so well,” Smith said.

“Miles and I have trained together since I was 13 and he was someone I always looked up to as a fighter and now we are both on title level and on the same shows.

“We are both competitive and don’t like losing to each other so if I am having a tough day he will try to blast me out on one of the runs and I have to try to beat him so it pushes each other. If you train on your own you don’t have that competitive will to win.”

Smith continued: “If we can both get a British title this year, which is very likely to happen, then you would have two fighters out of Bushey Boxing Club with British titles which would be great.”

“That is the plan,” Shinkwin added. “If we can both get on the same show fighting for British titles then it would sell a hell of a lot of tickets.”

Smith, who is also unbeaten after ten bouts, is dropping down in weight after his next fight and is targeting a summer showdown with the winner of Ryan Walsh versus Samir Mouneimne for the British featherweight belt. Shinkwin, on the other hand, says he doesn’t want to look past his upcoming title defence despite being hugely confident of knocking out Richard Horton.

But Shinkwin did add: “If I can get Horton out of there in good fashion then it could move me from seventh or eighth in Britain into the top five after only ten fights so I’m definitely doing something right.”

The Bushey duo are fighting at York Hall, in Bethnal Green, tomorrow (Friday) and their contests will be televised on BoxNation in what will be Shinkwin’s first show since signing a deal with Frank Warren in November.

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Miles Shinkwin. Picture: Action Images

Shinkwin has not been able to view any footage of Horton (9-2) but the 33-year-old was knocked out by Tony Salam in his only other Southern Area title fight back in 2009. Shinkwin stated he is a level above Horton both in ability and fitness.

He said: “There is nothing on his record that has me concerned. He has stepped up twice and lost twice. There is nothing to worry about.

“I will get him out of there, no doubt about it. He is 33 so it is his world title fight; it is his last throw of the dice. He will come out all guns blazing and I need to take that away from him early in the fight.”

Smith has a six-round tune-up fight with Croatian Antonio Horvatic (4-16) tomorrow. The fighter from Harrow Weald required knee surgery just after Christmas so only returned to the gym at the beginning of February and has been asked to come in below 9st 8, which is eight pounds more than the 9st featherweight limit he plans to fight at after this bout.

The ‘Baby Faced Assassin’ has impressed on his way to winning all ten of his professional fights at super featherweight but comfortably came in just two pounds above the 9st featherweight limit for his last fight in November.

Watford Observer:

Mitchell Smith. Picture: Action Images

The 22-year-old has so far stopped four of his pro opponents and picked up the English title and WBO European strap on the way but understandably believes his power will take him further at a lesser weight.

A convincing points win or a knockout for Smith appears almost inevitable tomorrow.

Smith and Shinkwin prepared for their respective fights at York Hall with a gruelling 12-day training camp in Monaco, returning a week ago.

“Miles and I pushed off each other and we are looking forward to stealing the show on Friday,” Smith said.

“We are both going through the same thing and it can be mentally difficult ahead of fights because you can become fiery so Miles and I became a bit fiery around each other and I almost copped a few digs off him but it was nice because we are both aiming for the same thing.”

Smith sparred with talented bantamweight Ryan Burnett in Monaco but the primary reason for the trip was so Shinkwin could spar with WBO world middleweight champion Andy Lee ahead of his title defence against Peter Quillin.

Watford Observer:

WBO middleweight champion Andy Lee. Picture: Action Images

Shinkwin has worked alongside Lee around ten times before and says the sessions in Monaco were competitive.

He said being around the Irishman and his trainer Adam Booth, who also guided David Haye to heavyweight glory, was a great experience and believes Lee is a perfect role model – both in the gym and out of it.

Shinkwin’s first child, daughter Neave, was born on Sunday and he said: “Being around Andy showed me how to conduct myself. He has money, he is a world champion but he is still an absolute gentleman.

“Before I left he came up to me with a present for me and my wife for our baby. It was a touch of class and he didn’t have to do it.

“I wouldn’t say I would not have conducted myself properly any way but to see the way he conducted himself both in terms of in the gym and out of it was a learning curve.”

With another mouth to feed, Shinkwin is as focussed as ever. 2014 was a special year for the former Queens School pupil and his good friend Smith. They are hoping 2015 will be even better.