Viddal Riley had spent years learning how to fight. Then he taught a YouTuber, and that became the story.
On Saturday, the Londoner defends his European cruiserweight title against unbeaten Frenchman Seydi Coupe at Wembley Arena, with a world-title shot within reach.
Yet it was his work with social media star KSI that first brought him mainstream attention, training the YouTuber for his fights against Joe Weller and Logan Paul.
From a corner of boxing where popularity can secure a headline fight before a punch has been thrown, Riley, 29, arrived with credentials few of his new audience knew about.
“I didn’t do all that hard work from such a young age to just be known as a trainer of a famous person,” he tells BBC Sport.
“I can’t push away something that’s part of my story. I just wanted to make sure that’s not the only thing I’m known as and I’ve managed to do that.”
Riley, unbeaten in 14 professional fights, first entered a boxing gym aged six and was national champion at 11.
He collected eight titles in the amateurs, representing Team GB and captaining England before meeting KSI at 19.
English, British and European titles have followed as a professional. He thought beating Cheavon Clarke might win over the sceptics, but the influencer tag has proved hard to shift.
“I’m pretty much giving up on trying to convince a purist of what I am,” he says. “If you can’t read facts and figures to convince yourself, then you’re in your own world.”