I CAUGHT up with West London Cruiserweight prospect Deion Jumah ahead of his Southern Area title fight against Jose Lopes on October 13. 

Jackson Park: How is training going for this fight, are you working on anything in particular for Jose? 

Deion Jumah: We are building upon the skill set I already have. Just trying to tighten things up. 

JP: You’ve had two wins this year after a long lay-off due to health problems, how does it feel to be back fighting again?

DJ: I am feeling great. I am making all sorts of records in my strength and conditioning and sprint times, my health issues are non-existent.

JP: I believe you were born in Hammersmith, very close to the site of Grenfell Tower, can you give us any insight into how the community are doing now? 

DJ: I actually grew up on Latimer Road. So it hit me hard. I was working there at the time as a boxing coach and I was a member of Dale Youth ABC, which at the time was on the first floor of Grenfell tower, so I used to be there literally every day.

I got familiar with a lot of the locals and I had two friends who lived in the tower who didn’t come out. It’s had a traumatic impact on a lot of the locals of course. 

It’s still standing up there like a graveyard and there's lots of families who still don’t have a living space. 

The community has been crucial in helping, more so than the government has. In the programme DIY SOS, the community literally made a new gym from scratch for Mick Delaney and Gary at Dale Youth. It looks like they’ve done a good job, it opens on Tuesday. 

Things like that just give you hope in people. I find it interesting how it seems to be the community who have done the work to revive it rather than the government and I think it's out of order to be honest. 

JP: Your former amateur rival Chris Billam-Smith is now professional and just signed to fight a commonwealth title eliminator, how do you see him doing in the pro ranks?

DJ: Very well. I’ve sparred him quite a few times as a pro and an amateur and he has improved drastically. He will be a force at Cruiserweight. 

JP: Is it too early in both your careers to build a professional rivalry? 

DJ: I just want to fight anyone. But I want [Lawrence] Okolie after he's fought [Lee] Haskins. I just doubt that is going to happen. We have been defrauded by the Lawrence Okolie and Isaac Chamberlain fight. 

Then he beat Luke Watkins and I’m sorry, he’s a nice guy but he’s not very good. Everyone is making out like he is the big guy in the division, but he hasn’t beaten anybody that he wouldn’t be expected to beat. They all hide behind these fake opponents. 

I was on instagram not long ago and I saw a video of him saying he would beat me. So listen, let's fight then. He’s defrauded the public and made loads of money. Anyone who knows about boxing knows I can fight. I am a certified fighter. 

JP: Finally, how do you see your fight with Lopes going? Points or stoppage?

DJ: I am there to make a statement. The main thing for me is not just winning but winning well. I am in this to win titles.