Steve Lovett is turning up the heat in his quest to become a world champion, the Canberra boxer declaring he is heading into "the most important year" of his career.
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The 30-year-old is back in Australia for Christmas before returning to his training base in Houston eager to build on a sensational past 12 months.
Lovett won all five of his bouts in the US to take his record to a perfect 15-0 and move up the rankings in the light heavyweight division.
"This is probably the most important year for me," he said. "This is the year I will step up in competition.
"The team have got a plan for me. I'll be mentally ready, I'll be physically ready, so it's just about getting over there and starting the year like I did this year and I'm 100 per cent focused on it."
Lovett has been offered two shots at the Australian title, but turned them down to focus on making his name in the US.
His trainer Ronnie Shields has previously mentored Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield, while his US manager Al Haymon is an adviser to Floyd Mayweather Junior.
"It's unbelievable. It's been the best move for my boxing career," Lovett said. "I trust in everything he says. I try to learn it, I try to practise it.
"I'm getting taught by who I believe is the best boxing coach in the world, so I've got the best team around me."
It wasn't just the fact Lovett won his fights this year that turned heads, it was the way he went about it. None of his five bouts went the distance, with three technical knockouts and one knockout.
Lovett's most recent fight against Samuel Miller on November 28 was stopped in the second round when Miller was disqualified for multiple low blows.
"The guys I fought, I did what I was supposed to do," he said. "I took them out, I beat them early.
"There will be some tough guys I will come up against, but I'll be ready. It's about doing what I do and winning those fights."
While he's still chasing the big money on offer at the very top of the food chain, Lovett is enjoying being able to concentrate solely on boxing.
"Those days are behind me now," he said. "I did enjoy it. It's actually a little bit easier on me now. I've done everything possible to become world champion."
That includes making sure he doesn't indulge too much over the festive period while he's back in Australia.
"It's not really a hard chore to do," he said. "I love doing it, I like keeping in shape so it's not a big deal for me. The eating is the thing I've got to really watch, but other that it's all good."
