Campbell Hatton is looking forward to getting lost in boxing for a few months.

It is six weeks since Hatton suffered the first defeat of his professional career. The 23-year-old boxed bravely against Central Area super lightweight champion Jimmy Joe Flint, but lost a unanimous 10-round decision.

After the fight, Hatton and his uncle and trainer, Matthew, agreed on an amicable parting of ways.

Hatton, 14-1 (5 KOs), is now working with Barry Smith at the thriving Ben Davison Performance Centre in Essex. The decision wasn’t one that he rushed into, but it is one that he is already happy he made. 

“I’m loving it. It’s taking some getting used to but I’m picking things up quickly and starting to get the hang of it,” he told BoxingScene.

“Already I’m feeling like I’m settling down into it and picking up the different ways of doing things but I think it’s gonna be a new Campbell Hatton to be honest. When you’re knocking about with the type of fighters that I am in the gym every day, you can only improve.”

Hatton was just 19 years old when he cut short a brief amateur career to begin training with his uncle and from that point on, he was always the biggest name in a tight stable.

These days, Hatton may just glimpse the reflection of two-time unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua as he shadowboxes in the mirror or alter his footwork slightly to avoid bumping into former WBA featherweight champion, Leigh Wood, as they work the heavy bag. 

Training alongside famous names doesn’t guarantee success, and Hatton will have a whole new set of aches and pains to deal with as his body adapts to a different routine. He is also likely to have more humbling moments than breakthroughs as Smith and the team begin to examine and overhaul his style.

Throughout the adaptation period, however, Hatton will only need to look around for proof that the system he is now a part of works. 

“It’s been great for me,” he said. “When I was at Matthew’s we were working hard and I was improving but I was sort of the main man in the gym at the time. Now, I’m chasing and it means I’ve gotta raise my game to try and match the lads that I’m in with so it’ll bring me on tenfold.”