By Elliot Foster

Lyndon Arthur has ditched the vest and headguard in favour of a stint in the paid code.

The talented Team GB light-heavyweight, 25, has fought in the World Series of Boxing as an amateur but has decided to venture into the pro game.

Arthur, from Moston in Manchester, has signed an agreement with Black Flash Promotions, which is fronted by former British & European super-lightweight champion and WBO welterweight world title challenger Pat Barrett.

And he will make his debut on the undercard of Anthony Crolla’s world lightweight title showdown against Jorge Linares on September 24 at Manchester Arena after leaving behind the Team GB squad that took a record 12 boxers to this summer’s Olympic Games in Rio.

“I’m excited,” Arthur, who was originally set for his first start on September 17 at the Victoria Warehouse in Manchester, told VIP TV last month, “but it is about time.

“I’ve done a lot more than people thought I would do as an amateur –– got on the GB squad, which is brilliant, fought in the World Series of Boxing –– but I’m excited [to turn pro].”

Arthur wasn’t picked for the Olympic squad for Great Britain, with selectors instead choosing to take Joshua Buatsi, of whom Lyndon was a team-mate at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield.

 “I feel like I could be British title material within 10 fights,” Arthur continued.

And he believes that the camaraderie within his training facility will bring the best out of him.

“The gym, it’s an exciting place to be. It feels like it’s back to how it used to be many years ago [when it had] the likes of Michael Jennings, Scott Quigg and Matthew Hall, but I feel like it will get back to its peak in the next few years and have loads of world champions.”

The Collyhurst & Moston ABC trainee will be managed by Steve Wood, the VIP Boxing head honcho who also guides the career of his gym-mate Zelfa Barrett (11-0, 5 KOs).