A Logan fighter with boxing in his blood will make his professional debut in March.
It has been a long journey in the sport for Clay Waterman, who won bronze at the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast in 2018.
He was confident of an Olympic berth until a broken hand in the trials kept him off a plane to Rio in 2016.
Waterman will use that disappointment to fuel his ambition and make a fresh start, now that he will be paid to fight.
He isn't short of confidence. Waterman is not fond of thinking that he is in with the big boys.
"They are in with a big boy," Waterman, who began boxing aged nine, said.
The 24-year-old is still looking for a light heavyweight opponent for the Sydney bout at the end of March.
Meanwhile, he has been training the house down. He said it was imperative he was in shape, physically and mentally, for his first fight.
"It's about playing smart," he said.
"You have to be disciplined and work hard, especially when you're getting paid."
Once he has the first fight out of the way, he said he would want to enter the ring as often as possible.
"I have to fight as many times as I can," he said.
Waterman's father Mark and younger brother Tai are training him in a shed in the family's backyard at Logan.
The family has a long history in the sport. Clay's parents encouraged him to get into boxing so he could stand up for himself.
His father's father and grandfather fought, as did uncles on his mother's side, and uncles.
Some still watch his fights, but they do not offer much advice these days.
"They used to, when I was younger," Waterman said.
Waterman hoped his career could inspire the next generation.
He is a mentor to youth groups and has also been a guest speaker at schools.
"Not many people have my life experience," he said.
He said he felt the time was right to go professional.
"I feel like I have done my time, and my apprenticeship, fairly well," he said.
"I think this is my time."
