Archibald funded his own way to the 2013 Ringside World Championships, an amateur boxing tournament in Kansas City, in the US, which annually attracts about 1500 fighters from around the globe.

The 22-year-old slugged his way through four knockout bouts to claim the welterweight title.

But Archibald wants to earn his ticket to this year's Commonwealth Games, beginning with defending his ACT title at the territory's championships on Saturday night.

Archibald was 16 when he left his hometown of Guyra, with a population of about 2000, to accept an AIS scholarship in Canberra. He lasted a year, before returning to family in northern NSW.

But after missing selection for the 2012 London Olympics, Archibald came back to Canberra to try to give himself the best shot at making the Australian team for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.

Archibald faces Canberra's Louis Sinclair on Saturday night, the winner earning automatic selection for the Australian championships and Commonwealth Games trials in April.

''The Ringside World Championships was a great learning curve, I think it's put me in the right position to go to the Commonwealth Games,'' said Archibald, who travelled to the tournament with Australia's youngest ever Olympic boxer, Jai Opetaia, and Kostya Tszyu's son, Nikita.

''It was really hard when I first came to Canberra, I was 16, training for boxing twice a day, trying to juggle school and being away from family and friends. But now I love it here.

''I felt like I was being wasted in the bush, I wanted to give myself the best opportunity and I knew that was here in Canberra training at the Stockade Gym in Dickson.''

Three ACT titles will be up for grabs in 15 bouts on Saturday night, including Bianca Elmir continuing her fight for redemption.

Elmir was ruled out of Australia's London Olympics team after she tested positive to a banned diuretic, but has a new goal now that women's boxing will debut at this year's Commonwealth Games.

Elmir fights Adriana Smith on Saturday in the women's 51kg class, while Kurtis Cooper and Beau Hartas battle for the ACT title in the men's 75kg category.

SATURDAY

ACT Boxing Championships: At Melba High School Auditorium, 6pm. Tickets at the door.