After nearly 90 contests as an amateur, Basildon cruiserweight Mark Quirey, 26, is ready to take the step into the professional ranks.

At the moment he is reviewing his options with regards to training bases, but feels he has what it takes to hold his own as a professional.

Quirey, who is currently trained by his father Ned - a former professional wrestler - began boxing at the age of seven at Blue House ABC, Pitsea. He then moved to Bury Boys' ABC where he remained until he was 17. Then he joined the Army where he became a PE instructor.

He boxed for the Army and won the Combined Services Championship in 1994. A year later he left the Army and rejoined Bury Boys' ABC.

As an amateur Mark has won 66 of his 87 contests. However, he has been intending to step into the professional ranks for at least a year but has held back owing to his desire to secure an ABA title before doing so.

Frustratingly, this was one dream that has remained unfulfilled - although he has come close on a couple of occasions. "I reached the ABA semi finals after I left the Army, but I lost by one point to Courtney Fry," Quirey said.

"The following year I reached the quarter finals in Exmouth, but it was not until 1998 that I reached the finals for the first time.

''At first, everything went well. I was six points to one up at the end of the first round but, after I got tagged in the second, it was all over.

"This year I reached the finals again, but I was robbed on points. After that, I decided it was now or never to turn professional."

Mark, who is looking for a sponsor, currently works as a doorman at a Southend-on-Sea club.

Hopeful: Mark Quirey, who wants to try his luck as a professional boxer.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.