Nikki Bascome has vowed not to get drawn into a war and to stick to his slick boxing principles when he faces Mexico’s Pilo Reyes at the Fairmont Southampton next month.

Bascome, who models his boxing style on Floyd “Money” Mayweather, expects Reyes to possess the traits of a typical Mexican fighter and look to engage at close quarters with aggressive high-volume punching.

Although he prefers not to watch too much of his opponents beforehand, Bascome said he had been left in no doubt that Reyes was “coming to fight” after studying some videotape of his rival.

“Mexicans like to fight, but at the end of the day I like to box and skills pay the bills,” Bascome said.

“You’ve got to stick to your game plan and it will come together on the night. That’s what I’m learning every time I step into the ring.

“I never really focus on my opponents and I try to focus on myself. I’ve seen a little bit of him and from what I saw he’s coming to fight — but I will be ready.”

This week Bascome will be based at his “second home” at Pichi’s Boxing Pit in Orlando, where he will refine his technique and spar with the gym’s resident boxers.

It is a pre-fight ritual that Bascome has adopted for all of his professional bouts, as it allows him to fully focus on the task ahead without any on-Island distractions.

“I’m in good shape and I just need to go away and put in the sparring and tune-up,” said Bascome, who has received sponsorship from Gorham’s for his bout against Reyes.

“I’m going back to my second family, my second home, where I will have no distractions. That’s really important for me as it helps me focus on my craft.

“It’s been a long road since I turned professional, and I’m just trying to focus on my craft and not cut any corners.”

Several local boxing observers, including Troy Darrell, a former middleweight title contender, are of the opinion that Bascome must move overseas in order to fulfil his potential.

Bascome, however, said he was not allowing his thoughts to drift any further than November 7, when he will meet Reyes in a four-round welterweight bout.

“That talk [of moving overseas] has come around, but I’m just focusing on this fight,” said Bascome, who is undefeated after three bouts as a professional.

“There’s been a lot of pressure on me dealing with that part of my career.”

Since turning professional in February 2014, Bascome has become a more well-rounded boxer, according to his trainer Allan “Forty” Rego, who also believes his protégé should leave Bermuda to further his career.

“I would like Nikki to fight outside of Bermuda,” said Rego, who described Bascome as the most dedicated trainer he has worked with since Darrell.

“He likes to fight at home but I’ve tried to tell him that if he’s going to accomplish anything he needs to get out of here.

“Troy Darrell was 22-0 with 19 knockouts before he came back to Bermuda to fight. There’s just not enough fights in Bermuda for Nikki.”

Rego admits he harbours some concerns about Reyes who he knows very little about other than he is undefeated in three professional bouts.

“We’ve been kept in the dark a little and I don’t know anything about this guy,” Rego said. “It’s no good fighting somebody you don’t know anything about. I’m not too pleased about that.

“It doesn’t matter if a guy has only had three boxing matches because where [Reyes] comes from he will be in a gym with lots of other professionals. He will have learnt something.

“The first time we will see [Reyes] will be on the night of the fight and that’s not sharp at all.”

Bascome defeated Claudele Duprier, of the United States, via a third-round knockout in his previous bout at Bermuda College in July.

That bout, however, was not sanctioned by Oscar Lightbourne, the Bermuda’s acting boxing commissioner, because Duprier did not make the required weight.