Zorro takes on perhaps the most feared man in the cruiserweight division (Picture: Getty)

From doing the school run to fighting on what is arguably the biggest card in boxing history, Ellis Zorro has had a whirlwind few weeks.

Last month, he took his place on stage alongside the likes of Anthony Joshua, Deontay Wilder, Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren as the Day of Reckoning card was confirmed with his name among the biggest in the sport printed on the fight poster.

Up until last year, the south Londoner was still a jeweller by trade, working at his dad’s shop in Dartford before a new promotional deal with Warren and Queensberry Promotions allowed him to shift focus solely to boxing.

Over the next 16 months, he would win and defend the WBO European cruiserweight belt, testing himself against sound operators in Dec Spelman, Hosea Burton and most recently Luca D’Ortenzi as he made steady inroads in the division.

Having also won the Boxxer cruiserweight competition in 2022, it was the start of the sport beginning to pay him back.

Last month, the opportunity of a lifetime came Zorro’s way. A million miles away from the small hall shows where he has spent most of his career fighting, the 17-0 fighter will test himself against perhaps the most feared fighter in the cruiserweight division in Jai Opetaia on Saturday in Riyadh.

‘It’s good to be out of York Hall,’ he joked, where all but four of his professional fights have taken place. ‘I was expecting maybe the Copper Box or the 02, not quite Saudi.’

Zorro undefeated in 17 fights (Picture: Getty)

It hasn’t been an easy road. Away from the glamour of the Saudi Arabia card, the 31-year-old has experienced the true realities and challenges that come with the sport, struggling to sell tickets and find trainers and dealing with the constant hurdles put in front of fighters looking to climb the ladder.

With Saudi freely splashing money to bring the show together, he has no hesitation in admitting the financial rewards coming his way were a huge factor he would have been foolish to ignore.

‘Jai wasn’t really on my radar, this show wasn’t on my radar,’ he explained to Metro.co.uk. ‘I got a call from Martin [Bowers, Zorro’s manager] and was told the opportunity has come up. He told me where it was, who it was against and how much. And I had to take it.

‘This is what I got into the sport for. Saying it’s a dream come true is very cliched. But this is what it is. Being on this stage with the purse I am getting off the back of my journey is massive.

‘From not being able to get on television, struggling to sell tickets, fighting on small hall shows off the back of lockdown, I wasn’t always sure where things were going. I was getting on a bit in age. In a nut shell, it hasn’t been an easy journey. I understand who I am going up against and what people are saying about my chances but it doesn’t override my personal goals and my personal dreams.

‘I think it becomes the moment where I can say I really have got something out of the sport which is securing things for me and my family. It opens doors. It makes everything I have been doing it worth it.

‘When all those doors were being shut in my face and trainers didn’t want to work with me because I only had three amateur fights. When no one wanted to come to my fights, managers didn’t want to work with me… this opportunity is great feeling. It is what all that struggle was for.’

Opetaia’s Ring Magazine title will still be on the line after vacating the IBF belt (Picture: Getty)

Saturday was meant to be Zorro’s first world title shot but developments over the last 10 days have forced Opetaia to vacate his IBF title after the governing body refused to sanction this weekend’s fight. The IBF has instead insisted he must defend against their mandatory challenger Mairis Briedis or be stripped of the belt. Briedis is currently out injured and to add to the farce, has no problem in sitting this one out.

That confusing and frustrating episode saw Opetaia opt for the life-changing money on offer over the belt with the fight going ahead as planned.

Opetaia, who remains in possession of the revered Ring Magazine title which will be on the line on Saturday, will no doubt have opportunities next year to win other world titles while for Zorro, the fight still represents the biggest payday of his career and the chance to take one of the biggest scalps in the sport.

‘I was a fan of Jai’s and I still am,’ Zorro continued. ‘When I saw what he did against Briedis, I said this guy is a problem. When the phone rang for me it was like one of those when idols become you rivals moments. He is no1 here at cruiserweight.’

Opetaia blasted through another Brit in Jordan Thompson in September (Picture: Getty)

Opetaia gave UK fight fans a closer look of his phenomenal ability in September, his first fight outside his homeland against another British cruiserweight in Jordan Thompson. Thompson had no answer and was battered with hard, accurate punches across four rounds before Opetaia blasted him out.

Some viewed it as a warning for Zorro. Like him, Thompson was undefeated before stepping in the ring with the Australian but the gulf in class was on show from the opening bell. Zorro understands why he is a heavy underdog but is driven by a different sort of challenge he has become used to.

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‘I don’t like to overthink things too much,’ he said. ‘Boxing is hit and don’t be hit. With this one, him being a southpaw is probably the biggest change in terms of preparation and sparring. He is the first I’ve fought. But nothing else really changes for me. I’m locked in trying to maintain focus.

‘I have built momentum but there is a big step up here. With all my past opponents, I knew I was going to win. it was just a matter of how I was going to do it. That is how I was training. This is the first fight where I could lose. It has given me that extra bit in training.

‘I have a healthy respect for my opponent. I knew with previous opponents, I had them. it was just about how quickly I would get it done. But this is different. I’m not expected to win. So that makes it more excitement. It is a different type of motivation. But there is no pressure.’

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The Londoner is out to cause a major shock on the Anthony Joshua vs Otto Wallin undercard.