Elliot Whale knows that all too well.

As well as being a southpaw, Whale is tall, physically strong and has shown the capacity to break down and hurt talented fighters.

The 28-year-old from Sidcup is undefeated and willing to fight anybody. Unsurprisingly, his welterweight rivals aren’t quite as keen.

“I feel like I'm boxing’s best kept secret,” Whale (13-0, 8 KOs) told The Ring.

“We’re close enough [to breaking through] I think. I feel like every performance that I'm having, I'm shooting myself in the foot. It’s so hard to get me a meaningful fight and every time I box, people are seeing me getting the job done but people don't want to fight me.

“I don't think it's me personally or them being scared, I feel like it’s just for business. I’m probably not the biggest name but I'm a real hard fight and there's just easier options out there for other people.”

So far, the only well known name to take the bait and accept fight with Whale is Blair Cobbs. In December, the flamboyant American travelled to Leeds in England but pulled out of the fight after the final press conference, citing illness. Whale believes that Cobbs developed his symptoms after seeing just how seriously he was taking the fight.

If it is getting harder and harder for an unfashionable but dangerous fighter to get airtime and to persuade fans and broadcasters that it is worth them investing their time and money in them, it is extremely easy for them to develop a reputation away from the spotlight.

Word travels quickly around the gyms and group chats and if the fans haven’t yet had the opportunity to see what Whale is capable of against top level opposition, people within the business know just how difficult a night’s work he is.

“A hundred percent,” he said. “After I boxed Darren Tetley, he said some really nice words about me and then when that gets posted, I just feel like, ‘Oh mate, they are lovely words but you're killing me.' It gets more eyes on it.

“I feel like inside of the boxing world, they’ve started to know me but, obviously, with the general public, I'm not the biggest name.

“All I need is that one fight because I know I've got a fan-friendly style, I come for the knockouts and I'm never really in a boring fight. I’m always trying to find the knockouts and get them out of there and that’s what the fans like.”

Over the the past 12 months, the British welterweight scene has changed and a clear pecking order has developed.

IBF world champion, Lewis Crocker, leads the way whilst Jack Catterall is the No. 1 contender for Devin Haney’s WBO belt. The in-form Conah Walker sits just behind.

Although he doesn’t have a title to defend and has yet to appear as a contender in any of the various governing body’s top 15 lists, Whale appears a step ahead of talented fighters like English champion, Joel Kodua, and promising youngsters Jake Abrol and Bobby Faulkner, and would slot into a group that includes Ekow Essuman and Harlem Eubank.

If Constantin Ursu beats Whale’s Black Country Boxing stablemate, Owen Cooper, for the British and Commonwealth titles this weekend, Whale would jump at the opportunity to challenge the man known as “The Moldovan Monster” but, in an ideal world, he would prefer to be matched with someone who will help take his name and profile to the next level.

“I'm looking at your Ekko Essumans, your Harlem Eubanks because I feel like they're just a bit above them [other British fighters],” he said.

“They’re bigger names and they've fought at certain levels. I’m not saying I don't ever want to fight for the British title. I'm not trying to skip a British title fight. I’m just saying I don't want to wait around to be made mandatory because I know I'm not going to be a voluntary pick and I feel like I'm ready now to step up anyway.”