Joel Kodua (11-0, 3 KOs) hasn't always had that kind of time.

For years, the English welterweight champion would arrive at the gym after clocking out of an overnight shift as a railway engineer.

“I was just fixing the sleepers and the rails,” the 29-year-old from Dagenham told The Ring.

“I was shovelling ballast and just maintaining the tracks but doing night shifts. So I would do a night shift and then finish at around 4am or 6am. I’d go home, sleep for a bit and then go straight to the gym for an 11am start.”

Kodua trains with Tunde Ajayi.

The high-profile success that Ajayi has enjoyed with three-time world title challenger Anthony Yarde, will ensure that he has a steady stream of talented young hopefuls requesting help or asking him to train them. Kodua had raw ability but his punishing schedule also showed Ajayi of his determination and drive to succeed.

Kodua was 20 when he began boxing but despite having lots of ground to make up, continued to turn up day after day and proved his worth during sparring sessions with Yarde.

Eventually, he earned Ajayi's time and trust.

“Everyone thinks he's the mean guy but he's actually a nice guy. He's a hard worker as well. He pushes me a lot. He's a very good teacher,” Kodua said of Ajayi.

“When I first started training with Tunde, I started from nothing. I had 12 amateur fights and I had them in the space of one season so my amateur career was sort of fast-tracked. I started off as a plain sheet of paper.

“If you watch my first fight to my most recent fight, you'll see the improvement. It’s been a drastic improvement.”

Already the Southern Area and English welterweight champion, Kodua’s recent stoppage victory over Joe Garside put him directly in line for a shot at the Commonwealth title currently held by the undefeated and highly-rated Constantin Ursu.

On February 28, Ursu defends his belt against the exciting Owen Cooper, live on DAZN. Importantly, the vacant British 147-pound belt will also be on the line.

Kodua isn’t planning on treading water now. He will watch the fight with interest and immediately set his sights on the winner.

“I just look at the belts. Whoever's got the belt is whoever I would like to fight and whoever I am going to fight,” he said.

“Because my last fight was a Commonwealth title eliminator, I assume that my next fight will be for the Commonwealth title.

“I've done it the traditional route. Throughout the domestic scene I've done Southern area, English and I will be getting to British very soon as well.”