Britain has had no shortage of boxing success stories, but there haven’t been many of note from Kent.

Hoping to change that is Chev Clarke, who has big ambitions to take the world stage by storm.

The 25-year-old won the heavy-weight division of English boxing’s Elite National Finals at Liverpool’s Echo Arena in April, almost two years after he last boxed following disappointment at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

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He represented Jamaica in Glasgow, but – despite hanging out with Usain Bolt and getting to meet Prince Charles – the Northfleet boxer does not harbour fond memories of his time in the Scottish city.

“I competed, I lost, I was disappointed and boxing’s not a game – you don’t play boxing,” explained Chev, who trains at Gravesham Amateur Boxing Club at Cygnet Leisure Centre.

“I wasn’t mentally right to do it so I decided to take a year and a half out until I was ready again.

“My coach called me in December 2015 and asked if I wanted to compete at a home show in March. I said yes, came back, and from there made magic happen.”

Chev fought twice at the local show and dominated both of his opponents, leading coach Len Trusty to back him to take on the finals in Liverpool.

His preparation was anything but plain sailing, as he was called back to his native Jamaica just days before the Southern Counties qualification round when his grandmother died.

VIDEO: Boxer Chev training hard to fulfill his dream

It meant weighing in before he went abroad in the hope that no other contenders at his 91kg weight level would emerge while he was gone.

Fortunately, there weren’t, and Chev qualified for the national finals automatically.

“I got a phone call from the club to say ‘come back — we’ll pay for your flights, come back’,” he recalled.

“I came back and I fought at the finals, beat top guys, seeded boxers, and came back a champion.”

The boxing ring where Chev trains is surrounded by inspirational posters depicting some of the sport’s most enduring icons.

One features a quote from the late, great Muhammad Ali, which reads: “He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.”

After almost two years away, taking part in a national competition certainly represented an element of risk, but it’s one that most certainly paid off.

Chev beat Bournemouth’s Chris Billam-Smith of Poole Amateur Boxing Club, who was one of the highest seeded fighters going into the tournament, in the final.

The last time he had fought on a big stage was the defeat to Northern Ireland’s Sean McGlinchy in Glasgow, so it was some comeback.

“The end goal is to turn pro – not just turn pro, but be a world champion pro” Chev Clarke

Having boxed since 2009, Chev has had his eyes set on a professional career for quite some time, although he still has some unfinished business to attend to on the amateur circuit – from now on representing GB, rather than Jamaica.

He said: “Having competed at the Commonwealth Games and the nationals, I was hoping that I could go to Rio. You just never know in boxing, there’s always a chance.

“I didn’t make it, but other things have come from it. Going forward, I hope to compete for GB in competitions like the European Champions and the World Boxing Series and get experience from that.”

There’s also the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast, which will surely be the perfect barometer of Chev’s progress. Where better to cement the comeback and make the step up to the professional ring?

“The end goal is to turn pro – not just turn pro, but be a world champion pro,” he continued.

“Anybody can turn pro and that’s not the goal, the goal is to be world champion. Someone the kids can look up to and say, ‘he did it, I can do it’.

“It would be exciting for me and for Gravesend because nobody’s ever done it before.”

Chev has had two assessments with the GB squad and has his third and final test in September. If he keeps up his current form, it’s difficult to imagine him not securing a call-up.

Until then, the hard work continues in Gravesend.