Kent boxer Adam Dingsdale hopes the increased level of his sparring will pay off.

The 25-year-old, from Hoo, meets Surrey’s Ross Payne at the Britannia Hotel, Canary Wharf on Friday in what will be his eighth pro fight.

And after switching gyms, to the iBox in Bromley, he has been put through his paces by several up-and-coming pros.

Unbeaten light welterweight Ricky Boylan and Lewis Pettitt, who also fights for a WBC international belt on the same bill, have been putting the Medway pro through his paces.

Dingsdale (pictured) said: "I was already going to iBox for sparring and thought I needed to be in that gym more often, where I could be sparring with boxers of a similar level and above.

"Alan Smith is an experienced coach and has trained British champions and he said I should come along. He is my trainer now, along with Eddie Lamm. I am working more on my defence and feel like I am improving."

Dingsdale faces Payne in a four-round bout in London – and hopes to at least match what he did to his opponent the last time they met, in the amateur ranks.

He said: "I won that easily enough, on electronic scoring. I was well ahead and although I expect him to be a lot better this time around, I have improved a lot as well."