Conah Walker enjoyed a riotous ride into contention at welterweight but the crowd-pleasing 31-year-old from Wolverhampton has been quiet since May when coming through a brutal Midlands derby with Sam Eggington.

“That was always the plan,” Walker (18-3-1, 9 KOs) told The Ring after a workout at Jamie Moore's gym on the outskirts of Manchester.

“I've just had a little girl so spent time with my family and newborn. I've been training in here every day. I treat it like a job but just been training once as opposed to two sessions a day, just enjoying learning. No fight date, nothing to work towards, but just learning my craft.”

Walker has earned this break in schedule after enjoying a banner year in 2025.

He won the British and Commonwealth titles, while dramatic stoppage wins over Harry Scarff, Liam Taylor and Pat McCormack put him in contention for British Fighter of the Year honors, moving towards the world level fringes.

After his Eggington excursion at 153 pounds, he is now refocused on securing a big fight in the 147-pound division.

Walker loves fighting but accepts that boxing politics gets more complicated as the stakes get higher and going forward, he'll need to choose his battles.

“I'd love to be out three times a year. It's just not viable now,” he said.

“I've climbed myself up to this position and we want the world title [fights], world title eliminators but they don't come around every three months so I've got to just bide my time and wait for the right fight to come.”

Walker might have been out of sight but hasn’t been out of mind.

His manager Sam Jones has been working hard to secure him a fight in America and British rival Jack Rafferty ( ) told The Ring last month he believes a fight between the pair would've been perfect as part of a proposed '5 vs. 5' rematch between rival promoters Queensberry and Matchroom.

Walker certainly wouldn't avoid the unbeaten "Demolition Man" but believes he's earned the right to test himself at the highest level. Naturally, he fancies taking his seek-and-destroy style of fighting across the Atlantic.

“I've fought every British name who's about. I've fought the best in Britain and come from nothing,” Walker said.

“I've come from the small halls and I've beaten Olympians, British champions ... probably fought and beat most of the British fighters on the table at the top level.

“So, for me, it [a Rafferty fight] is not a step back because he's a good fighter but I want big fights. I want to establish myself on the world scene, to go to America and tap into that market.”

If rumors are to be believed, he may get his opportunity before the end of the year.

“I'm hopeful. In boxing you can't put all your eggs in one basket and bank on it because things change by the day, but I think so but we'll see.”