It would be grossly unfair to suggest that Takaloo's unusual name is making him one of the big stars in British boxing.

After all, the 26-year-old from Kent proved his mettle by knocking out the previously unbeaten Anthony Farnell in just a round.

And that result came in Farnell's hometown of Manchester, in front of a crowd who expected little more than a rout.

The knockout lifted Takaloo into the British light-middleweight elite, which already contains the likes of Wayne Alexander, Richard Williams, Steve Roberts and Gary Lockett.

But back to that name.

Mehrdad Takalobigashi came to Britain at the age of six and it was not until he began his boxing career that his current moniker existed.

The story goes that on his debut as an amateur, the ring announcer struggled so badly with the boxer's real name, that he asked for assistance.

"Just call him Takaloo," shouted a member of the fighter's corner.

From then on, he was called nothing else.

"I've had some MCs get brave and try and do the whole name and they just mess it up," he adds.

Early on in his career, Takaloo struggled to find his feet as a professional - he was stopped by Jawaid Khaliq in his fifth fight and a second loss two fights later made people question his credentials.

The turning point, he believes, was finding trainer Jim McDonnell.

"I bumped into Jimmy one day and asked him 'Would you train me?'

"He said 'Come up to the gym - I'll give you a week's trial - but you might not like it.'

"And I went there and he put me through hell for a week!

"But I stuck it out and he could see I was determined."

The pair have worked together since and McDonnell's relentless pursuit of fitness has made the fighter much more confident.

McDonnell, a former world title challenger, also trains British and Commonwealth heavyweight champion Danny Williams and is regarded as one of the country's brightest cornermen.

The confidence that he has instilled in Takaloo makes the fighter believe he is ready for any of the top British light-middleweight fighters who currently grace the division.

"They're all good at certain things," said the Margate man of rivals Alexander, Williams, Lockett and Roberts.

"But they've all got weaknesses."

"I train so hard that I'm ready for all of them, as long as the money is right."

Because he was born in Iran, Takaloo is not eligible to fight for the British or Commonwealth title.

But it is the reigning British champion that he would like a fight with the most.

"No disrespect to Wayne, but he would be the easiest fight for me," he said about a man who he is on very friendly terms with.

"I don't want to give to much away, just in case he reads this!"