STEVE Bendall hopes he has a “champion in the making” on his hands after recruiting light-middleweight Lee Cutler to his stable.

Parkstone-based Cutler is set to make his professional debut at “The Next Chapter” in Bournemouth on Saturday, September 15.

The 22-year-old goes back a long way with Kevin Thorniley, one of Bendall’s trainers, having boxed under him at both Parkstone ABC and Poole ABC.

Asked what excited him about Cutler, Bendall said: “His speed, power and passion for the sport. Kev has trained him since he was 14 and he is looking to set things alight now.

“There will be a learning stage where he has to adapt to the pro way but I think it will suit him. I think his power will come out more.

“He will learn a lot on the circuit and, hopefully, we will have a champion in the making.”

Meanwhile, Bendall has collected his promoter’s licence from the British Boxing Board of Control.

He added: “They don’t just give them out, you have to earn them. There were certain bits of research I had to do.

“But I’ve been in the pro game for 20 years so unless I messed up badly, I was going to get it.”