VAUXHALL ABC's Nick McDonald may have fought his last amateur bout as he prepares to sign a professional contract with boxing promoters Frank Warren and Stephen Vaughan.
The 22-year-old has been offered a three-year deal which will see Stephen Vaughan's son George train McDonald and Lee Maloney become his manager.
'It's not a great deal but it's a fair deal. It's definitely the right time for Nick to become professional,' said current coach George Treble.
McDonald is expected to sign on Friday and is due to train with George Vaughan in Liverpool today.
But there are believed to be three other professional contracts on the table for Nick including one from Richie Woodall.
'Nick's not soft and he knows who he wants to sign with,' said George, who has trained Nick since he was 10. 'If he doesn't feel comfortable with them he won't sign.'
Before he can turn professional Nick must pass a medical which includes a brain scan.
As an asthmatic he will also need special preparation as he prepares for gruelling professional bouts.
'A lot of boxers have asthma,' said George. 'It will be eased with massage and shouldn't be a significant factor in his career.'
McDonald said: 'I just want to shine as a professional. I'm fed up with the amateur game. I've won everything I wanted to win apart from the Commonwealths.
'I was also frustrated that the England medical team didn't pick up on my back injury until late and I had to have injections during the competition.'
Nick was included in the England squad for the European Championships in Bulgaria tomorrow but has now pulled out. nPaul Butler Jnr won a hat-trick of medals at the Junior Four Nations Round Robin tournament in Dublin at the weekend.
'I'm absolutely over the moon,' he said. 'The only way to gain experience is by competing in tournaments such as this,' said coach Paul Butler Snr.
Butler Jnr is now hopeful of being picked in the Great Britain squad for the World Championships taking place in Morocco during September.
'Nothing is guaranteed,' said Butler Snr. 'It's all very underhand and political when it comes to getting selected for the British squad.
'Paul has had no real experience and is lighter than most of the other competitors but we are going to try to get out there and compete.'
