Exclusive Interview: British boxer Leon McKenzie talks George Groves, Carl Froch, Manchester United, Floyd Mayweather and much more

Both the English Premier League and boxing scene are truly undergoing explosive matches at the moment, and the two sports have got everybody talking so Mstars spent time talking to an expert on both. Leon McKenzie was a regular Premier League scorer (scoring against Manchester United), and now he's a top boxer looking to fight his way to a domestic title shot. So here's his insight on his career and the latest goings on in soccer and boxing.

Mstars News: What are your aims for 2014, for boxing and life?

Leon McKenzie: I want to win a title. If not by December, it would be early new year. Some sort of domestic title. If my next two fights go to plan then I'll get a title shot at some point.

Mstars News: I bet it was motivating seeing Curtis Woodhouse go from soccer to a British boxing champion?

Leon McKenzie: Yeah that's motivation because of the path I've come from. Curtis has done his thing and inspired myself. He's nine years in front of me. I can't say I'm going to win a British title as I haven't got 8 years left. I've got a couple of years left at best. You can never say never. If a shot came a long then I'd grab it. I think it's a little bit far away right now, but to win any title, considering my journey, it'd be massive.

Mstars News: Are you looking forward to watching Floyd Mayweather vs Marcos Maidana?

Leon McKenzie: Yeah! Can't wait! I think it'll be another Mayweather performance to be honest. I can't see Maidana causing Mayweather problems at all. I think it'll be a walk in the park for him.

Mstars News: Are you excited for Carl Froch vs George Groves II?

Leon McKenzie: I am. I'm actually out of the country, it's my cousins stag. I'm not here, which is a bit gutting. I think you'll see a different Froch, the best of Froch this time round. This might be his last fight. He's not speaking as much, and he's not as laid back as last time, he's more serious. At the same time you can't write off Groves. It's an interesting fight, but at the same time, Groves isn't fighting the same Froch.

Mstars News: What's the difference between football and boxing training?

Leon McKenzie: Football's agility and a different form of training to boxing. Boxing is very lonely, mentally different and a lot harder, because you're getting hit. It's no comparison. From a running point of view, football probably just edges it as there's a lot more running involved. I think that helps me when I come to do my running for training. It's something I've taken from football to boxing.

Mstars News: If you could fight in any venue in the world, where would it be and why?

Leon McKenzie: Las Vegas MGM. For me that's the dream place, it's like Wembley Stadium.

Mstars News: Who would you like to fight from any era?

Leon McKenzie: It depends. Now, a fight that would sell tickets would be me vs Chris Eubank Jr. 100% that would sell tickets. It would be a sell-out. He's a weight lower than me, but he's a big middleweight, so I'm sure he might creep up. He's not had any domestic title shot, and he's not won anything.

Mstars News: What's your opinion on the Kell Brook vs Shawn Porter fight if it happens?

Leon McKenzie: I think it's a dangerous fight for Kell. He's a brutal fighter, but I've watched him in sparring, and others have dealt with him. He can be dealt with if you've got the intelligence, and that's where I think Kell Brook has got the intelligence. Kell Brook doesn't like to get involved and to get hit. He reacts in a way in which it unsettles him too much. With someone like Shawn Porter, I think he's going to smell that.

Mstars News: What was it like scoring against Manchester United in the Premier League?

Leon McKenzie: You can't replace that. In front of 30,000 people, you can't replace that.

Mstars News: Any message for your Peterborough United fans?

Leon McKenzie: Yeah, I've always got love in my heart for Peterborough United. That's where I really became Leon McKenzie if I'm honest. They gave me a lot of time. I scored a lot of goals there, I was in a struggling team, so it was nice that I still scored the goals. It would've been a lot better if I was getting goals like your man at the moment (Britt Assombalonga). If I'd played in the teams with Craig Mackail-Smith and Aaron McLean, I wouldn't of had to run as much.