More than any other fighter, Howard Eastman illustrates how boxing has slipped from the public consciousness in Britain.
On Friday night, the man many regard as the second best middleweight in the world defended his European title at a leisure centre in Essex before a meagre crowd.
The ambience was more badminton than boxing, and with respect to the people of Dagenham, Eastman deserves a bigger stage than this.
Not too long ago the 160lb triumvirate of Nigel Benn, Chris Eubank and Michael Watson were taking on and defeating football in the battle for back-page ink.
But that was before the Premier League and Watson's ring-induced injuries banished boxing to hidden corners in the tabloids, buried beneath news of Becks' new barnet and nightclub brawls.
This is not to say, as some observers do, that British boxing is in terminal decline.
Ricky Hatton and Joe Calzaghe fill arenas, Sky pump millions into the sport and the BBC are showing a renewed commitment to the stars of the future.
But without column inches and primetime exposure on mainstream TV, top British fighters aren't getting the respect and rewards their talent and achievements deserve.
 |  The world number one middleweight is a Briton and given the opportunity I'm going to prove it |
Eastman, British boxing's eternal non-conformist, is sanguine about defending his title in a provincial gym.
"Why not Dagenham? It's a wonderful place to fight and the ring is the same as any other ring in the world.
"As for respect, I don't crave it - I just crave the opportunity to prove myself in my field of work."
Yet Eastman's resigned attitude is surprising given that he is the WBC's number one ranked middleweight and has tasted the big time, albeit fleetingly.
The 33-year-old fought William Joppy for the WBA crown in Las Vegas in November 2001, but despite flooring the American in the closing seconds Eastman lost a contentious 12-round decision.
And with that loss a shot at middleweight king Bernard Hopkins evaporated into the desert air.
Eastman has been biding time ever since, taking a year out before improving his record to 39-1 courtesy of six comfortable wins and the lacklustre display against Sergey Tatevosyan in Dagenham.
 Bernard Hopkins (left) is still the target after his win over William Joppy |
Hopkins remains the ultimate goal, despite the world champion's advancing years and the gaggle of high-profile fighters queuing for a fight.
Indeed, why Hopkins would want to risk losing his crown to the unheralded but dangerous Eastman when he could land a super-fight with one of Jones Jr., De la Hoya or Trinidad is anyone's guess.
In the short-term, Eastman faces a WBC eliminator against Italy's Cristian Sanavia in April, which could turn into a title fight should Hopkins decide to unbuckle his belts and go in search of more bankable foes.
Either way, Eastman, in keeping with his new-found serenity, remains confident his time in the sun will come.
"Frustration is a negative thing and I only deal in positivity.
"The world number one middleweight is a Briton and given the opportunity I'm going to prove it.
"Britain deserves a middleweight champion and Britain has so much to be proud of in me."
One only hopes that if and when Eastman proves his worth, his countrymen give him the plaudits he deserves.
MMIX
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