PORTLAND boxer Jack Carter has turned professional and is gearing up for his first bout on Saturday, September 15 at the O2 Academy in Bournemouth.

There will be eight professional fights at the show which will see fighters come down from Portsmouth as well as fighters from Bournemouth.

His trainer, manager and promoter Steve Bendall said: “Boxing has been is my life, it is all I know. Professional boxing has never been down here in Dorset so I am trying to build it up.

“I am looking to branch out and bring in more boys from Weymouth and Portland and all of these different surrounding areas.”

Bendall said: “I have got two good lads up from Portsmouth, and I have got three Bournemouth lads on and I got fights in general, some of the lads are pretty much at the start of their careers.

“One of the lads is nine fights unbeaten and the other kid is six fights unbeaten so it is just trying to put their records up into title contenders.”

Carter used to box at the Portland ABC Amateur Boxing Club and Bendall was made aware of Carter’s progress and his coach brought him down for Bendell to have a look at him.

Bendall said: “He wanted to go pro so we have been working together now for the last five or six months, adapting his style to suit the pro game.

“Then we had to go to the meeting with the Board of Control to get the OK to go pro which he passed and this will be his first fight now.”

The meeting with the Board of Control is to ensure the boxers understand the game if they have not had an amateur career, like Carter, and be assessed.

Bendall hopes that it can put professional boxing on the map in Bournemouth and hopes to continue bringing in boxers from the surrounding areas such as Dorset’s Carter.

Bendall said: “Professional boxing has never really been down here in Bournemouth or in Dorset but what I am trying to do is bring in boxers from surrounding areas such as Weymouth.

“Jack is the first one to do that from a different area.

“It is just about trying to build interest.

“All of these potential white collar boxers or amateur fighters if you want to become a household name you have to go pro.

“Otherwise you will never be a household name being a white collar boxer.

“At the minute I am only doing shows here in Bournemouth but I am looking to branch out and bring in more boys from places like Weymouth and Portland.”