HULL kickboxing champion Paul Regan admits confidence is high ahead of the forthcoming world championships after winning the English title.
The light-middleweight flies to Tuscany, Italy in a fortnight's time determined to add a gold medal to his titles.
Training for his shot at the world title has gone well for the 26-year-old and with the English title secured, the next goal is world domination.
"I'm confident because training has gone well," Regan said.
"Winning the English title in my last fight has helped. I'm on a 12-week training camp and confidence is high.
"But there is an element of nervous energy too which is standard and healthy.
"Next week I fly to Tuscany for the World Championships. It's been the Olympic seal of approval.
"I'm looking to bring a gold medal back to England. If I don't achieve that it will still have been a very good experience for me."
Regan won his English title fight against James Power in Sheffield on a unanimous points decision.
After the forthcoming world title fight, Regan hopes to add the British title to his growing collection.
"My long term goal is to have fun with it all and see where it takes me," Regan said.
"It would be good to compete for the British Championships which will be a big step up.
"I'm the area champion for the ICO and I also wanted the ISKA Northern Area title. The lad I competed against already had that title in a different weight division.
"Because we were both area champions, they decided to change it to the English title which is the next one up and I won by a unanimous decision."
Fitting kickboxing around his skateboarding commitments, that include regular trips to Los Angeles, isn't easy, but he finds a way.
Regan admits one helps him to be successful in the other because the skills are very similar.
"I have good balance for skateboarding and I guess that's why I picked up the kickboxing so quickly," Regan said.
"You have to be good on your feet and move quickly. Because I train a lot with kickboxing with weights and running, my muscles are a lot stronger.
"That's helped my skateboarding and I don't get many injuries. In 13 years of skating, I've broken my foot standing off a short ledge. In kickboxing, I've had nothing major."
Regan is grateful to be representing Hull on both fronts and wants others to follow him.
And in order to ensure there are more skateboarders emerging from his home city, Regan is offering chances to get started.
"I've been all over the world skating," Regan said.
"Now, I'm giving back with my own skate school that's been open for the last four years, working in schools and with the council.
"I want to get kids active and engage with other sports through skateboarding."
