Boxer Ollie Pattison is hoping to make a big impression when he fights against Ireland on Sunday at the 02 Arena.

Pattison, who is from Finchley Boxing Club and close friends with Olympic Gold champion Anthony Joshua, has boxed against Ireland three times previously.

The two-time London champion appears to be feeling strong and positive before his fight. “I feel confident, fit and ready for this,” the 24-year-old said. “I’m looking forward to it because I’ve been training hard with a good training camp, my dad included.

“My training has intensified because I’ve had to work on my sharpness. I’ve been sparring more often, but overall it’s just more intense.”

In the past Pattison has trained with ex-professional boxer Herol Graham, but recently he’s been training with Watford-born Joshua as they are both fighting this weekend.

“I saw him just before he went up to Austria to spar with Wladimir Klitschko and we were just working on things,” he said. “It was literally an empty gym with just me and him in there.”

The junior national champion has been at Finchley Boxing Club for 13 years and competed in more than 50 fights for club and country. He has won two Box Cup gold medals as a senior, a silver in Denmark and a bronze in Portugal.

In his last amateur season, Pattison is aiming to go out with a bang before he turns pro next May.

“I’m looking to it. I’ve been waiting a long time as I could’ve turned pro before. I could’ve turned this season but I wanted to get one more season of amateurs behind me. A lot of people have given me advice, especially the people I work closely with like Anthony Joshua.

“They’ve all said there’s no rush into the pro game. I look at a lot of the world champions now and they’re all 35, 36, all old and mature.”

Pattison has boxed in Las Vegas and trained twice at Floyd Mayweather's gym with wins on both occasions. He said he’ll only be nervous when walking to the ring in his return to the O2 this weekend.

“It’s a big venue but that makes me more excited for it. Everyone gets nervous but I’m quite good with my nerves, it’s more to do well than anything else. And I’ve got quite a few people coming to this one so I’ve got a lot of support.”

The light heavyweight is unaware who he’ll be fighting on the night but said he prefers it that way.

“My matchmaker knows who I’m boxing, so if I wanted to know his name I could always ask. But normally I don’t bother with who they are because I know I’ve just got to beat them.”

Tickets are £10 on the door on Sunday at the 02 Arena.