Middlemiss combines his boxing career with acting and, earlier this year, he played the role of Phil Foden in ‘Dear England’, a major BBC television series based on Gareth Southgate’s time as manager of the England national football team.

Acting runs in the family. His dad, Phil, famously played Des Barnes in ‘Coronation Street’, Britain’s longest-running soap opera, and Middlemiss himself has appeared in a number of shows.

Picking up his phone and finding out he had landed a role in a prime-time drama was an exciting moment for the unbeaten featherweight. Yet finding out his team had agreed for him to fight the aggressive Hughes (6-1-1) at Manchester’s Co-op Live Arena triggered an altogether different feeling in the 23-year-old.

“Boxing is my life,” Middlemiss (6-0) told The Ring.

“As soon as I get a big fight, I know I can lock in but listen, a big acting role isn't too bad. When I got the role for 'Dear England, I was ecstatic. It was a great experience, both are my passions and loves but right now, the focus is on September 19.”

Middlemiss now knows exactly what it is like to leave his dressing room, bury his nerves and walk to the ring for a professional fight.

He also knows what it is like to make his way onto a television set with hundreds of lines and months of rehearsals racing through his head.

“Oh, it’s completely different,” Middlemiss laughed. “The experience of walking out to a big fight is something special. The adrenaline you get from that is something that you can't replicate in any way.”

Middlemiss has managed to stay relatively busy since he turned professional in December 2024. He has boxed six times and moved seamlessly from four rounds to six and from six to eight, barely losing a round on the way.

Things are starting to get serious. In April he scored a career-best win when he outpointed Lewis Morris [who was 10-3-1 at the time] and the fight with ‘Short Fuse’ Hughes promises to provide him with another step up. The Northern Irishman will travel to Manchester intent on springing a minor upset.

Middlemiss may not be the biggest puncher at 126 pounds but has worked hard with his trainer, Jamie Moore, to where he's comfortable and confident with the type of fighter he is developing into.

“Yeah, 100%. I know what type of style I am and know I can adapt. In fights, you’ve got to adapt to the opponent but I believe in this gym I'm becoming an all-round fighter. I'm adding different tools to my game and, yeah, it's making me a complete fighter,” he said.

“I've got a belief in my ability, belief in my team and they're guiding me in the right direction that I want to go in. Of course, I watch these top names, top kids and think I can do something good in this sport, win titles and reach the top. I’ve sparred some top operators and given a good account of myself.

“It's all about developing and doing it at the right time. I'm still young, so [I’ll keep] getting these fights, the experience and I'm sure I'm going to be in some big fights in the future.”