Harlem Eubank was in the spotlight at the Amex on Sunday.
Not quite in the way he might have expected as he played in the youth ranks with players including Lewis Dunk.
But the unbeaten Brighton boxer would love to add to the sporting buzz around his home city when he takes on his own international fixture a week on Friday.
The 30-year-old super lightweight faces Timo Schwarzkopf from Germany at the Brighton Centre.
As part of the build-up, Eubank – nephew of Chris and cousin of Chris junior – was at the Fulham game along with Tommy Welch, who has a heavyweight bout on the same card.
He recognises it is “a different lane” but is relishing his own chance to represent the city.
Eubank said: “I go way back with Brighton. I played for them from 11 years old until 16.
“I was at the Brighton centre of excellence at the time.
“We trained at Falmer but we didn’t have the luxurious facilities that are now available.
“It has been beautiful to see their progression.
“It is a club admired by many other teams in the Premier League.
“They are looked at as a club to aspire to with the way they are run, the way they are performing is incredible.
“To play for them for four years before I turned my hand to boxing, it made me carry a lot of pride to see how far they have come.
“I really want to bring boxing along for the ride and bring big nights to Brighton in a different sport, a different type of entertainment, a gladiator sport.
“The first of those nights will take place on November 10.
“In my first year of football I played for Withdean 2000 and a Brighton scout was asking my coach about me.
“Usually they do a six-week trial process but the scout said, ‘He has only just started, come along and train with us for the year and we will see how you go’.
“From there on, I was playing centre midfield, right midfield, left midfield and up front.
“I was kind of a flair player and I try and take that flair into the boxing ring.
“It’s a different lane but I am inspired by the success of the club.
“If I replicate a slice of that in boxing, I am going to go a long, long way.”
Eubank is writing a weekly column for The Argus, which appears online and in print every Friday, and is excited about his Brighton Centre date.
He said: “The preparation is more intense than ever. My body is sore right now.
“I have been putting myself through it and I’m excited to bring all that preparation home and put on a show in front of my people in my home city.
“I have been fighting on the road a long time and I have been able to amass enough experience and enough credit to now come back and put on a big show for the Brighton people.
“It has been great. The Argus have been covering it really well and I have had a lot of people reaching out.
“Lots of people who have not been able to travel to my fights before really want to be at this one.
“People are excited about this event.
“It has been a long time since Brighton has had a big professional boxing event.
“I’m really excited to bring that home and get people excited about an event parents can bring their kids to.
“It’s a night of entertainment.”
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