Fanthome is hungry for titles and glory!

Leo Fanthome puts Dan Booth under pressure. Pic: Callan Bradshaw

THE hunger for glory grows with every punishing hour Leo Fanthome spends in the gym.

“I want it more than anything,” the Redditch welterweight told me as he prepared for his sixth fight. “I really, really want it.”

Leo steps up to six round level on the huge September 13 Chase Leisure Centre, Cannock, show topped by Sam Eggington and Jess Barry.

Ryan Frost is scheduled to be in the opposite corner, a Colchester southpaw who has won two of 10.

“It’s the biggest show I’ve been on,” said likeable Leo, who trains out of Lee Spare’s Nuneaton gym. “I really looking forward to it, I’m excited.

“It’s a bit further for fans to travel, but I’ll still have around 100 there – I’m putting on a mini-bus. The number of supporters seems to be growing, with a lot more people following my journey.”

To date, Leo, a 26-year-old with a Venezuelan family background, has encountered a single career setback.

He was stopped in the final round by journeyman Naheem Ali in his second contest. Leo put that down to a momentary lack of concentration, a lesson learned.

And the bouts since have added weight to his explanation. Leo looked particularly sharp in outpointing dangerous Dan Booth last time out. Before that, he stopped his first opponent.

The “Lionheart” is roaring a lot louder and brim-full of ambition.

He said: “I’m always training hard, I put the work in and feel my skill-set has grown even more.”

Leo’s certainly putting the work in. At 5.30am, he’s pounding the streets before the 7.30am shift as a groundworker begins – that’s a gruelling day’s graft. Then he’s in the gym from early evening until around 8pm.

The breakneck schedule is paying dividends.

He said: “One hundred per cent, I want that Midlands title. My fitness is even better, I have power in both hands.

“If I put 100 per cent into this, I know I’ll be successful. In boxing, if you put 100 per cent in, you get 110 per cent back.”