It is an unofficial title that is usually gained on a playing field, tennis court or patch of grass near the school gates but it is one that tends to stick. It was the first title Andrew Cain earned.

“Yeah, in primary school I was and then when I went to the secondary school I had a fight with this fella. He had a big beard and I hadn't even hit puberty,” Cain (14-1, 12 KOs) told The Ring.

“He broke his hand on my face and I ended up getting a bit of a bad one. That’s the only fight that I've ever really lost badly.”

Those school days were a long time ago.

Cain has been a professional for over decade and established a reputation as a vicious finisher.

The Liverpudlian’s only defeat was an injury ravaged decision loss to Iount Baluta in 2023. After spending a year recovering from hand surgery, he returned to win the British and Commonwealth bantamweight titles.

Last March he leapt at the chance to fight former WBC flyweight champion, Charlie Edwards.

On paper, the intriguing clash of styles and personalities should have launched Cain to new heights but after an entertaining build-up, Edwards smartly tried to frustrate rather than fight and Cain had to settle for a split-decision victory.

Since then, a series of injuries have prevented him from building on the win and erasing the memory of the dull 12 rounds.

Cain is 29 years old and still some way from being able to afford to go close to a year without fighting. He would have agreed to fight anybody just to get his career back up and running but has landed the biggest opportunity of his career.

Rather than a routine rust shedding exercise, Cain will fight Mexico’s Alejandro González (19-6-3, 11 KOs) in a final eliminator for the WBC bantamweight title. The fight will take place at Liverpool’s M&S Bank arena on Saturday night. DAZN will broadcast the event.

Lots of fighters say that are willing to fight anyone at anytime but there isn’t a bantamweight on the planet that Cain would refuse to step into the ring with.

“To be honest, no. I've always been like that since I was a kid. I’ll fight anyone,” he said.

“Even if I shouldn’t and I've got no business fighting them, I’ll fight them anyway. I've always been the same, on the street, anything.

“Even when I was five years old fighting with way older kids because they'd done my older cousin in. I’ve always been like that.”

At a time when lots of people in boxing spend far too much time cultivating a false image or obsessing over how people perceive them, Cain is a breath of fresh air.

He has absolutely no interest in social media and is regularly without his phone. He doesn’t tip-toe around topics or reel off pre-prepared lines designed to stoke up nonexistent rivalries.

Cain is as real as it gets but some mistake the business-like attitude he adopts around fight business for standoffishness. In reality, he is one of the most interesting characters in British boxing.

“I see some people in town who probably would be fans and they’re a bit hesitant to come over. But I see them looking,” he said.

“I do get a bit of that but when we're doing these fights, it’s serious isn’t it and I can be an intense person. It’s kill or be killed for me.

“Other than that, I'm a nice guy. If I've got no reason to be nasty to you, then I won’t be. I'm not a bully or anything.”

That intensity may make some people think twice before approaching Cain but it does have its advantages.

It is very easy to see when a fighter is playing a part or forcing hostility but there is something very unsettling about a fighter who naturally carries themselves with an air of menace and, in the past, Cain has noticed his opponent’s confidence waver when they are in his company.

He doesn’t expect González to react in the same way when they lock eyes during fight week but whether he does or doesn’t is of no concern to Cain, he knows he must do whatever it takes to win.

“Every English person that I've fought, I've seen fear in them. Every one of them, to be honest. Charlie Edwards, even Ashley Lane who doesn't fight with fear. He comes in and looks to take your punches. I could see it in him as well. He was scared,” he said.

“These Mexicans, not so much because obviously some of them go through deeper s—t than a little fight so, to them, a fight isn’t as much as what it would be to someone else.

“I'm just focused on this. I've got to take this. For me, it's this or a dark road but we still could have light at the end. I've got kids, I've got a life. I want to be successful. That's the choice for me.”