But, in more recent times, Heaney is spurred on by memories of Manchester City fan Ricky Hatton, Tony Bellew (at Everton’s Goodison Park) and Leeds United fan Josh Warrington all winning on home soil.

“In my head, it had to happen this year,” he said. “I’m in my prime and feeling ready.

“Only a handful of boxers have fought at their home football stadium, Ricky Hatton, Tony Bellew, Josh Warrington. If it happened for me at Stoke City, it would be amazing, a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

Warren told BBC Radio Stoke: “He needs a good week to let the bruises heel and then we’ll make a decision. He has to be 100 per cent. We want him to win.”

But Heaney said: “Frank is just looking after me first and foremost as a fighter. He doesn’t want to see me get hurt.”

And Heaney believes he can tap back into the buzz he experienced in Birmingham.

“Walking out at nearly midnight in front of 2,000 Stokies was fantastic,” he said.

“I appreciate every single one of the people that supported me at the fight, not to mention those ones sat at home staying up late with their coffee or their cocoa, or whatever.

“When I’m up on that boxing stage, I am, for that one night only, I feel like I’m representing my city wholeheartedly. I feel like I’m a physical embodiment of Stoke-on-Trent.

“What I lack in ability, or what we lack in infrastructure, we make up in heart. And I showed a bit of heart in that fight. If I was a less of a man I’d have ended up on my arse.”

Nathan Heaney was talking to BBC Radio Stoke’s Lee Blakeman