AQIB Fiaz lived and breathed big Manchester fight nights as a youngster.

Now the rising Oldham lightweight is out to impress when he gets his chance to shine at the Arena on Saturday night.

The 20-year-old, who has won all four of his fights since turning professional, takes on the durable Dean Jones on the undercard of Scott Quigg’s clash with Jono Carroll.

Trained by Jamie Moore alongside Carl Frampton, Martin Murray and others, Fiaz is no stranger to being around the sport’s biggest names.

But being centre stage at the Manchester Arena is a big step for a fighter many are already tipping for the top.

“I’ve been to it all at the Arena,” said the sports science student at Manchester Metropolitan University.  

“Your (Anthony) Crollas, Quiggs, Framptons, (Amir) Khans back in the day. I’ve been to loads. I even used to sneak out to come along to the press conferences.

“That’s what got me into boxing and I’ve grown up going to the Arena and now to box there it’s a dream come true.

“Camp has gone great, I’m feeling good and I’m improving all the time still so I’m more than ready for this.

“On Saturday, as a Manchester kid, I get to shine under the brightest lights and I can’t wait.”

From addressing the media at a press conference to facing off with Jones at a public weigh in, Fiaz will get the big fight treatment this week, experience he is banking for future use.

“A few people have said ‘I hope you are on TV’,” he said.

“Listen, I do not care, I’m just happy to be part of it and happy for the exposure as well and thanks to Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Boxing for the opportunity.

“Further down the line hopefully this will be a regular thing so you’ve got to get used to it.

“I’m enjoying it and I’m looking to forward to it.”

The job for those around Fiaz at the moment is to not get too carried away with Frampton, a regular sparring partner at the VIP Gym in Astley, among those to give the prospect rave reviews.

“Jamie’s excited as well and says soon he wants to be stepping me up and going for titles,” said Fiaz, in the second year of his studies.

“I believe in my team, my manager Steve Wood as well. If they didn’t believe I could beat someone they wouldn’t put them in front of me.

“We’re just going fight by fight at the moment and for me it’s always going to be like that because if you look too far ahead you maybe get lost and slip up somewhere.

“I’ve got to focus on winning every single fight as they come.”