AQIB Fiaz has backed former training partner Mark Heffron in his quest to fight at Boundary Park.

Heffron’s manager Kevin Maree told the Oldham Times earlier this month that plans are in the works for the town’s super-middleweight star to take centre stage at Latics’ home next summer.

Fiaz, himself also being tipped for the top after winning his first five professional fights, believes it would be a special event for Oldham.

Maree spoke of packing the undercard with local talent although Fiaz, who shared the Northside ABC gym with Heffron for a time, is unsure whether he would be able to feature.

The 20-year-old has recently signed a deal with Matchroom’s Eddie Hearn while Heffron is with rival promoter Frank Warren, the veteran fight figure understood to be supportive of the idea of taking big-time boxing to Boundary Park when the time is right. .

“That show has been spoken about for a couple of years. It’s been in the works a while,” said Fiaz.

“It would be a great event for Oldham and for Mark.

“I’ve grown up training with him at the Northside gym and at the time I was there he was a professional. I think he had his first nine fights there or something.

“He’s always someone I’ve looked up to, just because of the hard work and training he put in.

“It pushed me to work that bit harder and Mark’s been great for Oldham.

“He’s a big ticket seller and I’ve boxed with him before on the same cards and it would be nice.

“We’re with different promoters now so I’m not sure how that would work but I’d definitely be there to support him.”

Like everyone, Fiaz’s plans are on hold due the coronavirus pandemic.

Having impressed Hearn on his Manchester Arena debut in March when his next fight will be is anyone’s guess, Fiaz having said he is willing to “fight for free” when boxing can return behind closed doors, potentially in July.

The Jamie Moore-trained super-featherweight is however trying to take a glass half-full approach as he is locked down with his family in Lees.

“I’m trying to stay positive, I’m only 20 years old. There’s no rush,” said Fiaz, a sports science student at Manchester Metropolitan University.

“I’ve probably missed out on a fight, maybe two fights. Ramadan means it probably is just the one so it’s not so bad.

“I was due out April 18 on a Steve Wood (his manager) card in Oldham and then I would hopefully have been on the Dillian Whyte-Alexander Povetkin card.

“I try to look on the bright side of things and everyone is in the same position and you can’t be selfish and think about yourself.

“It’s about keeping everyone safe and staying out of trouble.

“The time with your family and stuff like that is something that we take for granted and I’m guilty of it.

“I’ll be in the gym, then off to university, then I’ll go training again in the evening.

“I then might be at a boxing show at the weekend and I’m just never at home.

“This time I’ve had a bit of a refresh.

“I’ve had time at home with the family, during Ramadan we eat and break the fast together and it’s just sort of a refresh for us all.”

Ramadan means that in reality, Fiaz is in a different position to most other fighters in that his training would have been reduced at this time whether the country was on lockdown or not.

He is however still ticking over with brother Asam as he gets ready to build back up towards a return to action.

“We’ve been doing a couple of days a week when the fast is open at night and you can do a little bit,” said Fiaz.

“I’m doing a little bit in the daytime, a few jogs here and there, it’s just keeping active and preparing for anything.

“I’m lucky that with the lockdown I’m not missing out on too much. I’d have had a few weeks off but everyone is now in the same sort of situation.”