Weston Park Hospital support worker balances kindness and compassion with boxing

The unbeaten super featherweight prospect (6-0), who hails from Parson Cross, juggles 12 hour shifts at Weston Park Hospital with a fledgling career career as a professional boxer which sees him train around the day job.

“You have just got to make it fit,” the 21-year-old tells The Star on his lunch break.

"You can moan about it or find a way to sort it out. If I have to get up early at 4am, that’s what I do or I go after work.

"It’s not ideal but it has to be done.”

A busy schedule hasn’t held the former Chaucer School pupil back.

He won the Central Area title for his weight division in December, aged 20, becoming the youngest champion to be trained by Glyn Rhodes MBE at Sheffield Boxing Centre in the process.

"It was a massive thing to get because it’s a belt world champions have held,” Kane adds.

"Most people my age are only just turning professional. I’m fighting for titles and fighting for good titles as well.”

He will defend the belt against Manchester’s Michael Gomez Jnr (13-1, three knockouts) at Ponds Forge on 27 August, with the winner set to challenge for the vacant English super featherweight title.

"Work has helped me in boxing,” Kane says, “when you hear some of the stories from patients and family relatives it gives you something different to talk about.

"I know a lot of boxers who box full time and it can get a bit on top sometimes, especially at my age.

"I don’t think I would ever leave my job fully.”

Kane has the full support of his colleagues at Weston Park Hospital, who will be there to support him against potentially his toughest opponent yet.

"They enjoy it, they have a laugh with me about it,” Kane adds.

“None of them are happy if I get marked up but it’s a part of it, you can’t get a shower without getting wet.”

Besides, the battle scars make for interesting stories to help pass the time during those long shifts on the wards.