DUDLEY fighter Sam Horton says preparations for his showdown with Olympic champion James DeGale are currently “spot on.”

There are just over two weeks to go before the 25-year-old faces DeGale for the WBA intercontinental super-middleweight crown at West Ham United’s Upton Park ground on May 15.

After putting in a sluggish display when beating Jamie Ambler back in January, the bus driver has taken a full five weeks off work to prepare for the fight.

And it is a tactic he believes is paying off.

Horton said: “Training is going spot on at the moment.

“My sponsor has started me with a fitness instructor and I’m doing at least five hours in the gym every day, with an hour of running too.

“This is the hardest I have ever trained for a fight and I can understand why professional fighters able to focus solely on their boxing have such an advantage.

“I hope one day I can reach that level of professionalism.”

Horton has described the fight as his “Rocky” moment and believes victory over the much-hyped DeGale could set him on course for a glittering career in the sport.

Unsurprisingly, he has quickly been installed as the outsider, with some betting markets already making the London man a 33-1 on favourite.