Bushey boxer Miles Shinkwin has stressed the importance of remaining patient when it comes to achieving his dream of becoming British champion after he was made mandatory challenger for the Southern Area title.

The light heavyweight prospect’s third-round knock-out of Vaclav Polak two weeks ago has moved him up to 21st in the British rankings and he is now mandatory challenger for Leon Senior’s Southern Area belt.

Shinkwin claims Senior has avoided fighting him in the past but now expects the pair to meet next year.

Both men have Irish family and Shinkwin hopes the fight can also be for the Irish title.

Senior (10-2) lost to Arfan Iqbal, who is now unbeaten in seven fights, in a British title eliminator live on Channel 5 on the same night Shinkwin beat Polak.

Shinkwin said: “The Southern Area champion fought the same night as me in a British title eliminator which is a bit of a bummer because he fought a guy who was six in six and I am six in six but I have not been getting near any of the titles.

“But I am number one mandatory for the Southern Area title now and that victory should have put me close to the top 20 in Britain so after six fights that is good.

“Boxing is about not rushing. The Southern Area title will come, it is just a case of waiting for the time.”

He continued: “I am always reading interviews where fighters say I want to fight this guy and that guy but when you are at a level that is your level.

“So I am not going to sit here and say I am British title level because at the moment I am not fighting at that level.

“Let’s get the Southern Area title and learn how to do ten rounds properly because I don’t want to go into a British title fight not knowing if it will be really close, I want to go in to win and be in charge.”

Shinkwin has not lost a round since he turned professional in October last year, winning the first four bouts on points and then securing knock-outs in his last two.

The 25-year-old doesn’t plan to fight again until early next year and aims to utilise the time by continuing to learn from his trainer Jason Rowland, who is a former WBU champion.

Rowland trains a number of successful fighters, including cruiserweight Tony Conquest, who recently won a British title eliminator, Southern Area super featherweight champion Mitchell Smith and middleweight Joe Mullender, who lost on points in an International Masters title fight two weeks ago.

“I’ve had six fights in a year and not had a lot of time off so I will rest and then get back in the gym and start working,” Shinkwin said after his Polak fight.

“The best thing you can do is get in the gym and learn. In fights you learn bits and gain experience but when you are in the gym for two or three hours a night, that is when you learn from people like Jason, who was a Southern Area, British and world champion. He has been there and done it.

“Just being around him and the likes of Tony Conquest, Mitchell Smith and Joe Mullender means I am always learning.”