Mitchell Smith eyes world glory

Rising star Mitchell Smith hopes landing the Boxing Writers' Club Young Boxer of the Year award will see him follow in the footsteps of previous winners and become a world champion.

Smith boasts a perfect record after 13 professional contests and has dazzled this year, emphatically beating all three of his opponents so far in 2015 inside the distance.

The former ABA champion will join a list of fighters including Kell Brook, Nassem Hamed, Barry McGuigan, Joe Calzaghe and Ricky Hatton when he receives his award at London's Savoy Hotel on Monday.

And the 22-year-old WBO European and Inter-Continental super-featherweight champion now has his sights firmly set on dominating the world stage.

"It's overwhelming and it's probably my biggest achievement so far as a boxer," Smith told Sky Sports.

"It came as a bit of shock when I found out I'd been shortlisted and it was a really emotional moment when they confirmed I had won it.

"I was so close to tears because it's amazing to be recognised by such a knowledgeable group of people like the Boxing Writers who know the sport and watch boxing all the time.

"I'm over the moon because most of the people who have won this award in the past have gone on to win world titles.

"My performances are now speaking volumes and I'm looking forward to going on and doing bigger and better things and trying to win a world title like a lot of the boxers who've won this award before.

"I know I'm on the right path, I know where I'm at as a fighter but I also know where I want to be. I'm happy with my progress but I'm not going to settle for where I'm at.

"I want to be a world champion and if I don't win a world title I'll feel like I've under-achieved."