MIDDLEWEIGHT Dan Barton had the “best experience of my life” when winning on his professional debut earlier this year – and he can’t wait to get back in the ring tonight.

The 27-year-old’s career in the paid ranks got off to the perfect start in April with a second-round stoppage of Jacob Lucas.

It was a victory made extra special for Barton as it came in front of his family and friends on home soil at the Newport Centre.

St Joseph’s charge Barton, who is trained by Tony Borg, will attempt to add another win to his pro record this evening, with Wiltshire’s Anthony Fox the man lying in wait.

The two clash in a four-rounder on the Sanigar Events show at Ashton Gate in Bristol, four weeks after Barton had to withdraw from what would have been his second outing.

Work commitments meant he couldn’t take his place on a Cardiff Motorpoint Arena bill which featured St Joes stablemates Andrew Selby, Gavin Gwynne, Fred Evans and Ashley Brace.

Reflecting on his debut, and that Welsh capital setback, Barton said: “My debut was the best experience of my life. Tony told me it would be, and it was.

“I did everything I was asked to do and Tony was really happy. Getting a knockout in the second round was great, I couldn’t have asked for a better debut.

“I had amazing support in my home city and didn’t get back to the dressing room after the fight because of all the attention I was getting.

“I posed for about a million photos.”

He added: “I was down to fight in Cardiff but I had work commitments and my job comes first at the moment.

"Unfortunately I didn’t get to fight and I was absolutely gutted because I would have loved to have been part of it.”

Barton admits he knows very little about tonight’s opponent Fox, who has just one win from 11 fights, that coming on his debut last May.

Looking ahead to his next challenge, Barton said: “I took this one at short not-ice but my preparation has been good.

“I keep myself fit so it was just a case of upping the tempo when I found out I was fighting in Bristol.

“I’m not going there looking to get the stoppage, if it comes, it comes.

“I want to try and get the rounds in, put on a showcase of boxing, and show people that fighting isn’t all I can do.

“After moving from the amateurs, it’s about getting mentally prepared for nights like this.

“When you’re at tournaments in the amateurs you know you’re going to be fighting three rounds one day and then probably three more the next.

“In the pros the shows are much further apart and it’s all about the build up to one big night.”