Dickson hopes to land knockout blow for Hibs

As a kid, David Dickson had just one dream, to hare up and down the wing at Easter Road just like his uncle, Hibs legend Mickey Weir.

Today the 19-year-old is pulling on the green and white as he pursues his vision of sporting glory, but in the boxing ring rather than on the football field.

Dickson swapped boots for gloves after being told he had a natural talent for the fight game and is this week part of a Scottish select which will face up to Canada's best in two shows in Ontario.

The featherweight, however, won't let anyone forget where his allegiances lie, he'll take to the ring proudly supporting the green and white shorts which have become his trademark.

He said: "My whole family are Hibs-daft and Uncle Mickey is my hero. I was a bit too young when he was in his heyday for the club but I have all the DVDs, the videos and his old strips. And he has to be my hero as he's won a cup for the team I love.

"My dream when I was younger was to be bombing up and down the wing for Hibs just like him. I was fast so I did play on the wing but I think Mickey, while he has always been very supportive of me and has helped with my training, will agree I am a better boxer than I am a football player."

A fan of televised boxing, Dickson, whose mother Yvonne is Weir's sister, was tempted to try the sport and discovered an immediate aptitude. He said: "I didn't take it too seriously at first, I was still into football and hanging about with my mates as you do when you are 15 or 16. But I won a few fights, was told I had a talent for boxing and for the past three years I've focused everything on it."

Last season Dickson won the Scottish Novice Championship followed by the Intermediate Championship, the reward for the Lochend fight ace being named along with clubmates Lewis Benson and Mikey McNeil for the trip across the Atlantic.

Coached by Terry McCormack, father of former Hibs defender Darren, Dickson, although still an amateur, has found himself sparring with the likes of former British, Commonwealth, EBU and WBO super featherweight champion Alex Arthur and Paul Appelby, the youngest-ever British featherweight champion.

He said: "Terry has been brilliant for me, as far as I am concerned he is the best in Scotland, bar none. My ambition is to one day turn pro.

"I'm still young and have plenty of time but I want to go as far as I can.

"Terry, my family, everyone has faith in me so I want to make everyone proud and hopefully win something. Unfortunately I don't have enough experience to go to the Commonwealth Games in Delhi next month but I'm very chuffed at being chosen to represent Scotland in Canada. It's the first time I've fought abroad so it's a very exciting prospect.

"My last three fights were top level, against Scottish contenders and since then I've been training right through the summer. I never really took a break, I've been spending hours in the gym every day working with Terry and my sparring partners, training hard for the coming season."

Like many boxers Dickson admits making the weight for each fight often proves the greatest difficulty.

He said: "I don't mind taking a punch in the face but I have to admit, I like my food and ask any boxer and they'll tell you getting down to your weight is probably the hardest part of the game."

As an amateur Dickson, of course, also has to make a living and he does so working, where else, but Hibs Superstore underneath the Famous Five Stand at Easter Road where he has found his exploits in the ring have caught the attention not only of his workmates but Hibs boss John Hughes and a number of his stars.

He said: "I used to work in the shop part-time when I was at college studying sport and exercise. But I broke my ankle and you can't really do a course like that with a bit of bone sticking out of your foot so I now work full-time here.

"The football club has been really supportive. I've been given time off when I've needed to train for things like the Intermediate Championship.

"Yogi always has a laugh and a joke with me, Derek Riordan had a word with me about my boxing at the Hands Off Hibs concert at the Usher Hall and Graham Stack always chats away. They are always asking how things are going.

"But for all the support I have, and I am grateful for it, when it comes down to it there's only you and one other guy when you step into the ring."