Danny Connor has his sights set on a future showdown with friend Tony Owen as he prepares to step through the ropes for the first time weekend.

Connor makes his professional debut in Crawley on Saturday night against Daryl Setterfield, ironically on the same bill as Carshalton fighter Owen.

And the 23-year-old Sutton man reveals there is plenty of good-natured jousting going on.

Connor said: “I am good mates with Tony and we have been talking about it for some time.

“We keep joking that in a few years time we will have a superfight at Carshalton Athletic’s football ground.

“Whether that will happen I don’t know but it would be great to think we could both progress and then have a meaningful scrap as that would generate a lot of interest.

“But for now I just have to concentrate on getting this first fight out of the way and I cannot wait.”

Connor will make his bow at welterweight before planning to drop to light-welterweight, the same division as friend and British Champion Lenny Daws.

And the debutant admits he is starting to get butterflies ahead of his clash.

He added: “I have never been so nervous in my life.

“Normally I am quite brash and cocky but that has gone out of the window.

“I have worked so hard and this fight will be the culmination of weeks of graft.

“I am going to win the fight - I know that.

“This bout will be a stepping stone for me.

“I have to win - boxing is what my life is all about and is all I have ever wanted to do.

“All of the training and all of the running has been for one purpose, to get me in the best shape, and I will show that on Saturday.”