The perfectly timed right hand that Sam Hickey (5-0, 2 KOs) knocked the previously undefeated Tom Tompkins (4-1) out with recently did just that.

Those who have seen the middleweight prospect fight and got to know his quiet confidence since turning professional 20 months ago have been patiently waiting for the 26-year-old from Dundee to catch on with a wider audience.

The calm, calculating way Hickey went about his business on his Zuffa Boxing debut caught the eye of some important people and Malik Scott used his segment on a recent episode of "Inside The Ring" to heap praise on the Scotsman.

Hickey has big plans and although he would like to have broken through before now, has been working in the gym with his coach Rob McCracken, ensuring that when his big moment arrived, he would be ready to snatch it with both hands.

"Yeah, I just can't wait to get going. Once I start getting in these fights where the public really get into it, it's going to be good," Hickey told The Ring after agreeing his deal with Zuffa.

"When you start getting to that kind of stage where you can headline, it's going to be good. I'm just enjoying it, even though it's been difficult.

"I'm trying to enjoy the training. Even when you've not got a fight coming up I still try to take it in and enjoy the journey because every ex-pro I speak to, they say, "Just enjoy it, man.""

Hickey's breakthrough performance came on the undercard of Chris Billam-Smith's brutal seventh round victory over Ryan Rozicki as Zuffa officially launched their UK operations in the former WBO cruiserweight champion's Bournemouth hometown.

His next appearance will take place across the Irish Sea in Dublin on August 8 as Monaghan's Aaron McKenna fights Etinosa Oliha for the vacant IBF middleweight title and Cork’s Callum Walsh returns home to fight former European champion Tyler Denny.

Hickey will fight Brad Axe (5-1).

Scottish boxing is searching for somebody to follow in the footsteps of former undisputed and Ring junior welterweight champion Josh Taylor and represent them at the very highest level. Hickey believes that he can grow into the role.

So far, Hickey has boxed exclusively south of the border in England but with Zuffa seemingly following the very simple but successful formula of showcasing talented fighters in their local areas, a Sam Hickey night in Dundee suddenly doesn't seem beyond the realms of possibility.

"I think the fact that I was doing a lot of tickets down south really gives a good indication of what I can do in Scotland in the future. Start off somewhere small, 3,000, and try and build up into something really big," he said.

"I think I can definitely do it. The fact that they're also going to all these hometowns and home cities for all these other fighters makes it look a bit more realistic because what people say and what they do is different things. I can see Zuffa sticking to what they've told me, building me up in Scotland and getting me big nights back home.

"That's what I'm in the game for."