In South Africa, Boyd Allen, a former MMA star is making a name for himself in professional boxing. Now he will soon climb through the ropes to challenge for his first professional boxing title. CGTN's Julie Scheier has more.

29-year-old Boyd Allen transitioned from MMA champion to professional boxer in early 2018. Since then, his reputation as professional boxer grows with every punch.

BOYD ALLEN PROFESSIONAL BOXER "Fighting is definitely my calling from a young age that is what I wanted to do. I am a better boxer all-round than I am a mixed martial artist but I love both sports. What MMA has helped teach me for the boxing ring is definitely timing and movement. In boxing you have to worry about the guy's hands, in MMA you've got hands, take-downs, knees, kicks, elbows and those are things that you really don't want to get caught by."

With 34 amateur fights and 2 professional bouts under his belt, the undefeated Boyd is taking a step up when fighting John Bopape, for the WBA Pan African Junior Middleweight Title in March.

BOYD ALLEN PROFESSIONAL BOXER "John Bopape is going to be a pretty messy fight. I think he is very wild, he is not a very technical boxer, he throws bowlers and he comes forward a lot and we have been prepping for that. I don't expect him to be a very clean striker, it is my first ten-round fight so we have been pushing hard in the sparring and training for that but obviously things can change during the fight so we just need to prepare ourselves for any aspect for what may or may not happen in the ring."

Coach Richard Quan has been with Boyd since his MMA days and is excited about the scientific approach Allen brings to the ring.

RICHARD QUAN BOYD ALLEN COACH "We name him 'Sneaky Boy' for a reason, his technique is very-very good. You know he has great footwork, his eye hand coordination is incredible. We use a lot more of a scientific approach on how to use our feet, not getting hit, how to hit the angles properly and it is more of a new school-style of boxing which works very well for Boyd."

JULIE SCHEIER JOHANNESBURG "Boyd Allen is a fighter in more ways than one, he wants to put to rest misconceptions that you could compete in one combat sport and Allen is working hard to break down barriers and silence his critics by winning the Pan African Junior Middleweight Title."

BOYD ALLEN PROFESSIONAL BOXER "My ambitions as a pro-fighter I want to go for WBC title, WBO, I want to go right to the top and I want to do really well and I want to be successful in the sport but I also want to be that bridge between MMA and boxing showing the mix martial artists that it is possible to convert over to boxing as an individual sport and go back to MMA whenever they so please and vice-versa hopefully get one or two of the boxers going into the MMA circuit showing their skills-sets and adaptability as an athlete."

But for now, "Sneaky Boy" Allen is working hard to win his first professional boxing title, and hoping to be crowned WBA Pan African Junior Middleweight Champion. JULIE SCHEIER, CGTN, JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA.