Despite that, he is confident he can make the transition back to faster-paced amateur boxing without too much difficulty.

“Professional boxing is a lot slower, a lot more technical. Amateur boxing is three three-minute rounds, it’s an absolute sprint,” said Welland, from Wickford in Essex.

“The preparation is different. I would change my running, for example, I’d have to do more short sprint work.

“My sparring would be changed – I wouldn’t be sparring eight or 10 rounds, I’d be sparring four or six rounds at a faster pace.

“It’s different, but the transition isn’t too much if you’re the right pedigree.”

Welland took an unusual route into boxing – he was playing football, aged 13, for Cambridge United’s youth academy when he first entered the ring at a gym for some physical conditioning.

He said: “I was like ‘that’s absolutely perfect, I’m going to have a tear up three times a week and get strong that way’.

“I got to the semi-final of the national championship in my first season and thought ‘I’m not playing football anymore’. I just boxed from then on.”

Welland represented England as an amateur and outpointed Owain Harris-Allan – who won a bantamweight bronze medal for Wales at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham – early last year, before entering the pro ranks following two further contests.

And it would be a thrill to represent the country in the French capital in July and August – if given a chance to stake his claim.

He added: “Obviously, you have to go to a qualifying event for the Olympics. Team GB have their final qualifying in Italy at the end of March. Our final qualifying is in Bangkok, Thailand in May or June.

“Maybe in the next month, six weeks, I’ll know what I’m doing. I have got professional fights lined up just in case, a back-up plan in case I don’t get that call-up, I haven’t closed every door.”

Tom Welland was speaking to BBC Essex’s Rob Jelly